The Reverend James Flynn died July 1st, 1895. Together the priest and boy had spent a great amount of time discussing religious issues: classifications of sins, duties of the Eucharist, and secrecy of the confessional. The priest's passing caused the boy to reflect back upon his time spent with the old man, and through his memories and the comments of the other characters the boy pieces together a final impression of Father Flynn and his intentions. Although the priest had failed in his duties and faith, he tried to exonerate himself by training the boy as his successor. Due to his acts of simony, ineptness at ceremonies, and deteriorating mental health the priest could only absolve his deeds, not himself, by creating an adept proxy who would hold true to his duties.
             Father Flynn was grooming the narrator for a place among the clergy, and the boy was an eager, if not fully aware, student. The boy spent a disproportionate amount of time with the priest discussing concerns of the church and pondering rhetorical situations. This caused him to come under attack by his own uncle who criticized him for his level of involvement and advised him to get outside and play, " That's what I'm always saying to that rosicrucian there: take exercise,"(Joyce 4). The choice of the word rosicrucian, by Joyce, lends itself to
             proof of the priest's intention that the boy become his protégé1. However, why would the father, who is not of that order, feel that need? The reason lies within the fact that the priest is trying to recreate himself in the boy.
             Sometime near the latter end of his life Father Flynn began to realize that he had become a failure as a priest. After developing an incredible addiction to snuff, his abilities suffered a sharp decline. This is displayed when the father dropped and broke a chalice, presumably while delivering the Eucharist, which his sister, Eliza, claims,
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