Letters of Reference
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Church of the Holy Spirit
3700 Harvey Lake Road
Highland, MI 48356
September 2005
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter as a recommendation for the ministry of Vinny Flynn and MercySong.
For approximately fifteen years we have invited Vinny to our parish to minister to our parishioners at an annual Eucharistic week of Adoration. Vinny is an exceptional and inspirational teacher, combining solid theology and complete faithfulness to Church teachings and the catechism. Vinny’s music ministry completes his presentations, and brings to his listeners an unforgettable and uplifting spiritual experience. As a result, my spirituality, as well as that of our parishioners, has been greatly enriched by Vinny’s ministry.
I do not hesitate to highly recommend Vinny to your church or organization. Indeed, you will be greatly blessed.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely in Jesus,
Rev. Leo T. Lulko Pastor
Vocations
Diocese of Springfield
P.O. Box 1730
Springfield, MA 01102
May 30, 2004
REFERENCE LETTER FOR VINNY FLYNN
I have known Vinny Flynn for about 10 years now and have been involved with him in various pastoral activities and ministries, having been his pastor at St. Mary, Mother of the Church in Lee, MA.
I am presently the Director of Men’s Ministry as well as the Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Springfield. Most recently Vinny spoke as one of our Keynote Speakers at our Annual Catholic Men’s Conference for the Diocese of Springfield. Vinny spoke specifically to the men about the Sacrament of Penance. He engaged the men in an intense search of the soul and prepared them to receive the sacrament after his talk. I personally heard the confessions of some of the men, and many of the other priests told me that the confessions they heard were by far the best they had heard in their priestly ministry. Some men had been away from the sacrament for a number of years, and they really searched deeply within themselves and recognized their sinfulness and the need for God’s mercy. The men indicated to me that Vinny was instrumental in challenging them and assisting with their spiritual conversion.
I have heard Vinny speak on various topics. He is compelling, comprehensive, and engaging. His content is superior, and his knowledge of the theology of Divine Mercy and the Diary of St. Maria Faustina is broad. All this, combined with his musical talent, lends itself to a very beautiful encounter with Christ and the Church for those involved.
I recommend Vinny Flynn to anyone who is considering a parish retreat or in need of a Keynote Speaker. His success in our Diocese of Springfield speaks for itself in the lives that he has touched through the spoken word and song.
Sincerely in Christ Jesus,
Fr. Gary M. Dailey
Director of Vocations
Director of Men’s Ministry
Diocese of Springfield, MA
PARISH OF ST. MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH
40 Academy Street
Lee, Massachusetts
February 5, 2001
LETTER OF REFERENCE: Vinny Flynn
I am very pleased to write this letter of reference for Vinny. I have known Vinny and his family for several years, and he is an outstanding man of the Church. He is a daily communicant and has a special devotion to the Eucharist and to Our Lady. He and his wife Donna, along with his children who are living in this area, are active participants in our Perpetual Adoration Chapel.
Vinny has a great reverence for our Holy Father and strict adherence to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. I have been to several talks that Vinny has given and not once have I heard anything questionable with regard to Church teaching.
Without any reservations whatsoever, I recommend Vinny Flynn as an outstanding witness of our Catholic faith. Vinny has a great gift of presentation. His words are very succinct and powerful. He can take difficult concepts and theological dogmas and present them in a simple way for everyone to understand. We are blessed to have this man of faith in our parish.
With prayerful best wishes and God’s blessings, I remain,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Gary M. Dailey Pastor
Rev. George W. Kosicki, CSB
Companions of Christ the Lamb
P.O. Box 12
Paradise, MI 49768
February 4, 2001
To whom it may concern:
I’ve been Vinny’s spiritual director since 1986, and I know his solid spirituality. He has a strong devotion to the Eucharist, to The Divine Mercy, and to Our Lady, especially under the title of The Immaculate Conception. He has great reverence for the Holy Father and strictly adheres to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
I’ve worked closely with Vinny on various publications, television broadcasts, audio and video programs, and promotion of the Divine Mercy message, first at the Marian Helpers Center and then at Divine Mercy International, both based on Eden Hill in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
We also worked together as a team – often with other members of his family as well – at retreats, workshops, conferences, formation weekends, and training programs for Divine Mercy leaders. Vinny’s talks and teachings are exceptional for their clarity and for the understanding they reflect of Sacred Scripture, the documents of Vatican II, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Divine Mercy message and devotion.
They are also very practical and move the listener to action. He has a special gift of presenting the teachings of the Church in a way that brings new clarity and makes them easier to understand and remember.
In addition to his talks and teachings, he sings! An Irish tenor with a family music ministry that has produced several albums of religious music that soothes and inspires, leading people into deeper prayer and greater trust in the Lord Jesus. You may have seen his family singing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on EWTN or heard some of their “Still Waters” CD’s and audio tapes.
If you are planning any type of religious event, Vinny’s spiritual presence, his teachings, and his music would be a great asset to your program.
In the Merciful Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Fr. George W. Kosicki, CSB
St. Gregory the Great Church
100 St. Gregory Court
Williamsville, New York 14221
Spring 2004
Dear Brother Priests,
I am delighted to encourage you to consider the ministry of Vinny Flynn for your parish retreat or other occasion.
This past Lent, we invited Vinny to conduct a three-day parish retreat on the topic of Divine Mercy. He came highly recommended by Fr. George Kosicki, CSB, and Fr. George’s suggestion led to a very fruitful retreat at St. Gregory’s.
Our parish is the largest suburban Catholic church in the Diocese of Buffalo. We came up with a comprehensive plan to inform our people about the message of Divine Mercy and the first new saint of the Third Millenium, St. Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The combined gifts of speaking and music ministry make this a great program for parish ministry. He collaborated well with our parish’s Adult Faith Formation Committee, who coordinated the nights. In addition, we held school assemblies on Divine Mercy and one for our Religious Education students.
St. Gregory’s was pleased to have Vinny and his gifted family for a few days of prayer and song, and I would highly recommend his ministry for whatever your parish might need to help spread the Mercy of Christ.
Sincerely,
Fr. Bill Quinlivan
Parochial Vicar