Rev. John Paul Flajole, O.F.M.
Fr. John Paul Flajole, O.F.M. was born on June 9, 1935 in Bay City, Michigan. His parents gave him the name of Paul Henry after his father’s name. Because of the Depression and a need to find work, his father moved the family to Detroit while Paul was just a baby. Eventually other siblings were born: Michael, Pierre, Mary Kathryn, and Raphael. Paul’s mother, Delphine, lived to be 100 years old and died this past year. His father, Paul, managed a men’s health club in Detroit and his mother was a homemaker. Paul attended Catholic schools his whole life. He graduated from Shrine of the Little Flower High School in 1953 and then attended the University of Detroit ( a Jesuit school) for three years. He felt called to the Franciscan priesthood and joined the Cincinnati province of Franciscans in 1956.
Upon receiving his Franciscan habit, Paul was given a new name, John, as was the custom at the time. Few of you know that I was given the Franciscan name of Ludwig and went by that name from 1953 to 1968, when I chose to use my baptismal name, John, when the option was given us. I was Father Ludwig from 1962 to 1968, when I became Fr. John. Fr. John Flajole never felt a need to return to his baptismal name because he was one of the lucky ones who was given a good name when he received the habit. In my class, three of us new friars were given the names Ludwig, Ludger and Liguori. They must have gotten stuck on the L page in the Book of Saints’ Names. In 2000 when he and I arrived in Galveston, we agreed that to avoid confusion he would become Fr. John Paul and I would be Fr. John. Fr. E.J. also used the name Fr. John (his middle name) for the past 30 years, but agreed to go by Fr. E.J. when he arrived in Galveston. It is not true that all Franciscans are tall and have the name John.
Fr. John Paul made his first vows in 1958 and was ordained a priest on June 5, 1964. His first assignment was teaching religion at Bishop Luers Hight School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Fr. E.J.’s alma mater. After a few years of teaching, Fr. John Paul moved to Calumet, Michigan, to be an Associate Pastor and then to a parish in Louisville, Kentucky. He then became the Assistant Director of Candidates in Detroit. Guess who was one of the candidates – Eugene John Stein. After a few years helping in our candidacy program, Fr. John Paul moved into the ministry of hospital chaplaincy, where he continued for many years. He was a hospital chaplain in Lafayette, Indiana; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Dayton, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Santa Barbara, California. He also took one year to study Spanish in Guadalajara, Mexico, to help him with his hospital ministry. He came to Galveston with me ten years ago in the Summer of 2000. Since Hurricane Ike, Fr. John Paul spends a half day at UTMB every Tuesday and Friday to minister to the Catholic patients there.
As a youth and young man, Fr. John Paul spent much time caddying. He caddied for Ben Hogan and Gary Player, just to name a couple famous golfers whose clubs he carried. He became a great golfer himself and regularly shot in the 70’s. While he was in his early 40’s, he experienced a sudden decline in his eyesight. He was diagnosed as having macular degeneration. He needed to give up golf and driving. However, as anyone can see, Fr. John Paul has never given up his desire to live as normal a life as possible and to serve God’s people as best he can.
Written by Fr. John Bok