Servant of God Father Edward Flanagan Receives Title of Venerable

Pope Leo XIV has recognized the heroic virtues of Father Edward Flanagan. A Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated in response to his declaration. Read Archbishop Michael McGovern's statement and learn more about Venerable Father Flanagan and his cause for canonization below.

Mass of Thanksgiving

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STATEMENT ON FATHER FLANAGAN RECEIVING TITLE VENERABLE

From the Most Reverend Michael McGovern, Archbishop of Omaha

“I am overjoyed at the news that Pope Leo XIV has recognized the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Father Edward J. Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town. With the decree recognizing Father Flanagan’s virtues, he receives the title Venerable Servant of God or Venerable. In this, the 100th anniversary of Catholic Charities’ founding in Omaha, it is fitting that Father Edward Flanagan, an Omaha priest and a model of Christian charity, be recognized by the Holy See. This is the next step in Father Flanagan’s cause for sainthood, which began in 2012.

We continue to pray that he will one day be beatified and ultimately declared a saint. In the meantime, may we work to affirm the dignity of every person created in God’s image by serving the poor, the abandoned and the vulnerable, especially at-risk youth. May Venerable Father Edward Flanagan’s example inspire us to live the Lord’s command: ‘Love one another, as I have loved you.’”

Brief Biography of Venerable Father Edward J. Flanagan

1886-1948

Venerable Father Edward J. Flanagan, an Omaha priest and the founder of Boys Town, was born in Ballymoe, Ireland in 1886. He immigrated to the United States in 1904 and was ordained a priest July 26, 1912. He began serving as a priest in the Diocese of Omaha in 1913. He established his first Home for Boys in December 1917. In 1921, he bought the Overlook Farm to meet the growing need. In his lifetime, he directly cared for more than 6,000 youth, and his example directly inspired 89 programs across the globe. Today, Boys Town provides direct and indirect care to 1.4 million youth and families annually. His cause for canonization opened 2012. On March 23, 2026, Pope Leo XIV recognized his heroic virtues, and Servant of God Father Flanagan received the title Venerable.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS LIFE

Venerable Father Edward Flangan Cause for Canonization Timeline

The title of Venerable by the Holy Father is a recognition that the Servant of God led a heroic life of Christian virtues. The next step in Venerable Father Flanagan's cause would be beatification where he would receive the title Blessed. Beatification requires at least one verified miracle attributed to his intercession. Canonization, or being declared a saint, requires an additional verified miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession occurring after beatification. Below is a brief timeline of key moments in the Cause for Canonization of Venerable Father Edward J. Flanagan:

February 2012 - Cause opened; Archdiocesan inquiry begins; Father Edward Flanagan declared Servant of God in March 2012
June 2015 - Roman Phase begins; Cause reviewed by Dicastery for the Causes of Saints
March 2026 - Pope Leo XIV recognizes Father Edward Flanagan's heroic virtues, giving him title Venerable

For more details on the canonization process, visit Fatherflanagan.org/canonization-process/