I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and one of my earliest memories was going to visit my uncle at Boys Town where he was a young priest at the time. My parents would load us up in the car, and we would drive down the highway and into the country, past acres of corn fields, until we reached the sprawling farm land of Boys Town.
In that random way of how certain memories from many years ago remain vivid, I remember my uncle’s apartment, which was quite nice. We lovingly called him Father Louie, and his furniture was the blonde wood from the late 50s and early 60s. But I especially remember that he spoiled us with ice cream sundaes and assorted toppings, a treat my mother never indulged us, which is probably why it’s still a fond memory to this day.
A few years later, we moved to western Nebraska, where I lived until the late 1980s. After I was married and had four daughters, we moved back to Omaha. It was during those years that Boys Town changed the most, and it is still evolving to this day as a powerhouse for medical care and mental health support for children and families.
It took me awhile to appreciate Boys Town, Fr. Flanagan, and his/their work with young boys, and later, young girls. Their move toward homes run by family teachers was hugely consequential and up-ended the norms of the foster care system. That is certainly a subject for another day, but in order to appreciate Boys Town, understanding its humble beginnings is a must.
HISTORY
Edward J. Flanagan was born premature in 1886 in Ireland to a devout, working-class farm family. It’s said that after little Edward’s birth, fearing he would die, his grandfather cradled him against his body, inside his shirt, and rocked him all night long in front of the fire. It’s believed this loving care is what saved Baby Edward’s life.
Flanagan emigrated to the United States in 1904, pursued his priestly studies, and was ordained in Austria in 1912.
Returning to America, he was assigned to the Diocese of Omaha, Nebraska, where he became especially moved by the hopelessness of men who’d lost jobs, homes, and families. Ironically, this first assignment was at St. Patrick’s Church, where Father Louie would eventually become pastor decades later.
In 1916, in a run-down mansion, he took these men in, found them jobs, and as he lived among them, realized that many of them were neglected as children. This fueled his passion to conquer delinquency of young boys who were pathetically poor, many orphaned and living on the streets.
In 1917, with $90 he borrowed from a friend, he rented a house and took in five boys, the first of many he would eventually care for. Believing “there’s no such thing as a bad boy,” Father Flanagan provided each with a nurturing home environment, education, job skills, and a focus of God in their lives.
It didn’t take long before they outgrew the house. In 1921, he purchased a farm ten miles west of Omaha, which remains today as the permanent site for Boys Town.
In time, he became an international figure, recognized by world leaders. In 1938, the blockbuster film Boys Town was released, starring Spencer Tracy as Father Flanagan and Mickey Rooney as one of the boys. The movie went on to win an Academy Award.
While on a mission in Europe, Father Flanagan died of a heart attack in Germany in 1948. He was buried at Dowd Memorial Chapel in Boys Town (where I have attended Mass many times). In continuation of his beloved legacy, the Catholic Church and countless thousands are prayerfully pursuing his sainthood.
Wouldn’t that be something?
And remember my drive into the country to visit Boys Town as a little girl? Those corn fields have long-since been lost to Omaha’s urban sprawl, and million-dollar homes, apartments, and office buildings have been built on those acres.
Boys Town, Nebraska, however, remains as the headquarters for Father Flanagan’s mission with a beautiful, sprawling campus, including a lake. Indeed, he probably wouldn’t recognize the farm that once had such humble beginnings, thanks to those who have ardently carried on his work.
Then again, I suspect he would never have suspected his work would continue throughout America, not only in Family Homes but also top-notch research facilities and clinics. His work in Social Reform continues as a model globally in transitioning youth behavior into responsible, successful adulthood.
Highly Recommend:
The Heart of a Servant, available for a nominal fee on Amazon Prime Video.
It’s really cool that one of the stars of the documentary is Jonathan Roumie of “The Chosen” fame, and Fr. Steven Boes, once the director of Boys Town, and now the Senior Associate Pastor at my parish.
Boys Town, starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, also available on Amazon Prime Video.
Father Flanagan is revered throughout the world, but especially here in Omaha. If you ever travel to Omaha, I heartily invite you to visit Boys Town. There’s so much to see and learn!
Have you visited Omaha before?
Are you familiar with Boys Town? Father Flanagan?