Edward J. Flanagan

Appointed curate at St. Patrick's Parish in Omaha, Father Flanagan first dedicated himself to homeless and unemployed men, opening the Workingmen's Hotel for them in 1915. Through his contact with these men, he acquired the deep conviction that the deviations of adulthood (criminality, marginalization) almost always find their source in abandonment, neglect, and a lack of love during childhood.

Determined to act at the root of the problem, he obtained authorization from his bishop, Msgr. Jeremiah Harty, to care for young delinquents and orphans. On December 12, 1917, with a 90-dollar loan granted by a friend, he opened his first Boys Home in a rented house in downtown Omaha, initially welcoming five children.

Faced with the constant influx of youth, Father Flanagan acquired the Overlook Farm in 1921, located about ten miles west of Omaha. It was there that Boys Town was truly born. Conceived as a genuine self-governing community, Boys Town allowed the children to elect their own mayor, city council, and commissioners. The complex included dormitories, schools, vocational training workshops, a chapel, and a post office.

Father Flanagan's work was based on pedagogical and spiritual principles that were revolutionary for the time: - Absolute inclusion: Unlike the segregated institutions of the era, he welcomed boys of all racial backgrounds and religious denominations (notably black and Jewish youth), which earned him direct threats from the Ku Klux Klan. - Trust in the fundamental goodness of the child: His famous maxim, "There is no such thing as a bad boy," guided all his actions. He stated: "There is no such thing as a bad boy. There is only a bad environment, bad training, bad examples, bad thinking." - Respect for conscience: Although deeply Catholic, he insisted that each youth be able to pray according to their own tradition: "Every boy should pray; how he prays is up to him."

The fame of Boys Town became international, particularly after the 1938 release of the Hollywood film Boys Town (starring Spencer Tracy in the role of Father Flanagan, a performance rewarded with an Oscar).

During the Second World War, Father Flanagan was nicknamed "America's Number One War Dad" due to his unwavering support for soldiers, many of whom were former residents of Boys Town.

After the conflict, in recognition of his unique expertise in child welfare, President Harry Truman asked him to advise the American government on the plight of war orphans abroad. He traveled to Japan and Korea in 1947, and then to Austria and Germany in 1948. It was during this humanitarian mission in Europe that he suffered a heart attack. He passed away in Berlin, Germany, on May 15, 1948, at the age of 61.

His body was repatriated to the United States and now rests in the Dowd Memorial Chapel of the Immaculate Conception in the heart of Boys Town.

The cause for the beatification and canonization of Father Edward J. Flanagan was officially opened on March 17, 2012 (Saint Patrick's Day) by the Archbishop of Omaha, Most Reverend George J. Lucas, conferring upon him the title of Servant of God. The volumes of documents collected on his life were sent to the Vatican in 2015, and the Positio (the summary document demonstrating his heroic virtues) was officially presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in July 2019.

On March 23, 2026, Pope Leo XIV signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, officially attributing to him the title of Venerable. For his cause to progress toward beatification, and subsequently canonization, the official recognition of miracles attributed to his intercession is now required by the Church.

Father Flanagan's spirituality found its source in a life of intense and contemplative prayer, which he considered the indispensable engine of his charitable action. Inspired by the Rule of Saint Benedict (Ora et labora – Pray and work) transmitted by his father during his childhood in Ireland, he saw Christ in the face of every abandoned child.

He was convinced that love, dignity, and responsibility were the keys to restoring the broken souls of young people in difficulty. Before his death, he had prophesied: "The work will continue, you see, whether I am here or not, for it is God's work, not mine." Today, Boys Town continues its mission through numerous centers in the United States, helping hundreds of thousands of children and families in difficulty.