The Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario (CEFO) is saddened or acknowledge the death of Dr. John J. Flynn, past Executive Director. We express our sincere condolences to the family of John Flynn who was called home on February 16, 2025.
Dr. John J. Flynn had been actively involved in Catholic Education in Canada for more than four decades. During those years, substantial change had taken place in education in general in Ontario, and this Catholic educator was centrally involved in the discussions, controversies and activities that pertained during this volatile era.
After his formal education in Ireland and England, and service in the Royal Air Force, John Flynn emigrated to Canada in 1957. He started his teaching career in 1960 with attendance at Toronto Teachers’ College, then served as teacher, principal, and supervisory officer for the Toronto Catholic schools. During this time, he was also taking university courses culminating with a Doctor of Education degree in 1975. After two years on exchange with the Ministry of Education, Dr. Flynn became Director of Education for the Brant County Catholic School Board.
When he formally retired in 1992, John took on the roles of Executive Director for the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association and Executive Secretary (Director) for the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario.
As an active Catholic educator, John Flynn was involved in OECTA while a teacher and principal, and in his Associations as a Supervisory Officer. He was the first Catholic president of the Ontario Association of Education Administrative Officials, served on the Board of Governors of OISE: as a member and Chair of the Board, and was an associate on the Board of Governors of Mohawk College. He also served on the Board of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Brantford, as well as the Glenhyrst Arts Foundation, and the education committee of the Chamber of Commerce in that city.
In the dozen years he worked for CCSTA and CEFO, Dr. Flynn was involved in a number of major issues, including the controversy surrounding the reduction of Catholic school rights in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. At CEFO we benefited from John’s enthusiasm for the active work of the Foundation, such as the Fogarty Award program and the annual Fr. Fogarty Awards Dinner. As many of you know, he had a particular concern that the student guests and their teachers receive the recognition their achievements deserve. A major project of CEFO, the production of Volume IV of the History of Catholic Education in our province, was certainly helped greatly by Dr. Flynn’s work as chair of the Review Group that worked closely with the author.
May John rest in Eternal Peace.