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Boys Town founder Father Edward J. Flanagan to be considered for sainthood

Archdiocese of Omaha to begin canonization process on St. Patrick’s Day

KERRY O'SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 7:17 AM

Updated Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 9:36 AM

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Father Edward J. Flanagan photographed in 1942 surrounded by his Boys Town charges

Photo by Google Images

Father Edward J. Flanagan, Catholic priest and founder of Boys Town, will be put to consideration for sainthood by the Omaha, Nebraska archdiocese next month. In 1917, Fr Flanagan organized the Omaha orphanage Father Flanagan's Boys Home.

WQAD writes that Omaha’s archdiocese will formally begin the process for canonization during a St. Patrick’s Day prayer service at Boys Town's Immaculate Conception Church next month. The process for sainthood is, undoubtedly, quite lengthy.

Fr Flanagan was born in Roscommon in 1886. Though he died in 1948, his legacy for dedication to helping troubled youth lives on today with his Boys Town charity.

"There are no bad boys,” Flanagan had said during his time working with youth. “There is only bad environment, bad training, bad example, bad thinking."

The process for sainthood originates in the archdiocese, then proceeds to the the Congregation of the Causes of Saints in Rome and to the pope. In order to be qualified as a saint, at least two miracles associated with the person must have occurred after his or her death.
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Reverend Steven Boes, national executive director of Boys Town, believes that Fr Flanagan is most deserving of the honor from the Church.

"Though the process will be investigating proven miracles associated with Father Flanagan, we know that miracles occurred every day in his work to heal children in mind, body and spirit," said Reverend Boes. "These everyday miracles still occur as Boys Town continues Flanagan's work by saving children and healing families today."

Fr Flanagan emigrated from Ireland to the United States in 1904, and was ordained as a priest in 1912. As a priest, he travelled the United States urging other to join him in his crusade to provide charity for trouble youths.

At the request of President Truman, Fr Flanagan toured Europe following WWII to discuss the orphaned children of the war. During his tour, he died of a heart attack in Berlin in 1948. His body was laid to rest at the chapel at Boys Town.

Deacon Tim McNeil, chancellor of the archdiocese in Omaha, hopes that the canonization process might inspire Catholics in the area. "If Father Flanagan becomes sainted, it would send a message to Nebraskans," McNeil said. "If he could live a holy and exemplary life in Omaha, why can't we all?"

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IrelandNorth | Feb 29, 2012, 05:36 AM EST

If he was ordained 8 yrs. after he emigrated from Ireland to the US, surely he was Mr. Flanagan when he left Ireland? Theocratic hierarchies shouldn't determine sainthood. Only the faithful should. But then, as the Oscars of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, maybe it's not such a bad thing after all. As someone with psychoanalytic training, I restate my unease with infanti-centric sexually-sublimative theologies whic lead to arrested development. Immaculate conceptions refer to the state of mind of the paramours at the time of the sexual congress.

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rabbitmoon | Feb 28, 2012, 09:36 PM EST

@hybernia--I DID NOT write the comment, timed at Feb. 29, 2012, 04:15 PM EST--I didn't comment again until 6:10 PM. Strange. But, I did not address either of my comments to anyone, including yourself.

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rabbitmoon | Feb 28, 2012, 06:10 PM EST

Of course, this will happen. This sainted man and the memories of all his good, will be utilized by the same sinners that don't want anything to change, they want all their control back and with it, hush money they've been paying out for decades, to maintain their secrets and sins. Smoke and mirrors are the specialty of these very powerful and still very wealthy men. Shame on the "followers" that choose to live in denial-still. They are as responsible for the madness continuing, as those that perpetrate it.

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Ms.Gail | Feb 28, 2012, 04:15 PM EST

@hybernia, googled and watched most of C of S, but this happened in the 1980s 4 decades after Fr. Flanagann died. Maybe if we remembered the saints we'd have more control of the sinners.

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Oliver12 | Feb 28, 2012, 03:16 PM EST

As someone who spent 10 years at St. Colman's Catholic Orphanage, I have the utmost respect and admiration for Fr. Flanagan and other priests, nuns and lay people who dedicated themselves to the well being of the lost children of God. I, for one, can attest that all of my success's in life (most especially 33 years of marriage) were as a direct result of the guidance and, indeed, the discipline at the orphanage. May God bless your soul Fr. Flanagan. The world is a much better place because of you. My hope is that you will be canonized and join my namesake, Saint Farnan in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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rabbitmoon | Feb 28, 2012, 03:14 PM EST

I think Father Flanagan may have done many wonderful things for young boys that no one else wanted. God has already blessed him for that. I think the timing of this nomination is suspect and that the catholic church would USE anyone or anything to stir up a controversy and make it out to seem that ALL the accusations lobbied against them are just a witch hunt. I think this is a nomination, concocted out of the same pure evil sort of minds, that have been covering up, denying and refusing to accept responsibility for its most grievous sins. None of us have ever needed a "nomination" to call Father Flanagan, a sainted man. Why allow him to be USED for the crimes of others now? His memory deserves to remain untainted.

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Deidra47 | Feb 28, 2012, 02:38 PM EST

Hope the church approves this. Any "scandel" is certainly outweighed by the good this man did.

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bhuerter | Feb 28, 2012, 02:36 PM EST

Hybernia, what does the Franklin sex scandal in the 1990s have to do the impecable record of Fr. Flanagan? Nothing.

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hybernia | Feb 28, 2012, 01:36 PM EST

Before you start handing out that sainthood windbreaker, you need to google "The Franklin Scandal" and you need to see the 1994 documentary film "Conspiracy of Silence" (not to be confused with the 2003 fictional film of the same name.)

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Nicoletta | Feb 28, 2012, 11:43 AM EST

Thank you Kerry O'Shea, for daring to put an article into the Irish Central which actually applauds a Catholic Priest. Deo Gratias.

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Murph46 | Feb 28, 2012, 11:24 AM EST

Good luck, and God Bless the chances!

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murphy666 | Feb 28, 2012, 10:34 AM EST

There is really only one tragedy in life, not to have been a saint.

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brianmack | Feb 28, 2012, 10:18 AM EST

This is a great story and Fr.Flanagan was a man who like so many at the time or before, made many of us Catholic's proud! Times have changed and I wouldn't set inside a church today but truly, if saint hood is to be made, he would be a major "hit!" I worked in a child care institution, St. John's Rockaway Park in the late sixties and can attest that anyone who dedicates their lives to these types of children are Saint's in my book. I lasted only a year...

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