May 10 – He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
What happens when a poor parish priest is saddled with three troubled young men? He figures it out.
Ed Flanagan had been assigned three homeless orphans by the court. The Archbishop of Omaha couldn’t give him any support, the money just wasn’t there, but Father Flanagan realized that he needed to care for these boys.
He borrowed $90 for a month’s rent on a home where they would be able to stay warm through the winter and on December 14, 1917, two more juvenile delinquents were assigned to him by the courts and he opened the first home for Omaha’s “City of Little Men.”
Father Flanagan believed that there was no such thing as a ‘bad boy’ and using Christ’s command to love one another, set about building a system to turn troubled boys into godly men. While only 20% of the boys in his care were in trouble with the law, he ensured that all received much more than food and shelter. He built his ideas around the need for a family, a mother and a father to care for the boys. They were given religious and moral instruction and cared for during their time with him.
After moving the boys to a location west of Omaha, he incorporated the village in 1936 and renamed it Boys Town. It was supported fully by volunteer contributions even though the courts continually recommended boys to him for care.
Boys Town changed its name to Girls and Boys Town, but has returned to its roots and its original name. Homes can be found in thirteen locations around the United States. They directly care for 51,000 children annually and in 2008 alone, touched over 400,000 children in the United States and around the world.
What happens when a poor parish priest is saddled with three troubled young men? He figures it out.
Ed Flanagan had been assigned three homeless orphans by the court. The Archbishop of Omaha couldn’t give him any support, the money just wasn’t there, but Father Flanagan realized that he needed to care for these boys.
He borrowed $90 for a month’s rent on a home where they would be able to stay warm through the winter and on December 14, 1917, two more juvenile delinquents were assigned to him by the courts and he opened the first home for Omaha’s “City of Little Men.”
Father Flanagan believed that there was no such thing as a ‘bad boy’ and using Christ’s command to love one another, set about building a system to turn troubled boys into godly men. While only 20% of the boys in his care were in trouble with the law, he ensured that all received much more than food and shelter. He built his ideas around the need for a family, a mother and a father to care for the boys. They were given religious and moral instruction and cared for during their time with him.
After moving the boys to a location west of Omaha, he incorporated the village in 1936 and renamed it Boys Town. It was supported fully by volunteer contributions even though the courts continually recommended boys to him for care.
Boys Town changed its name to Girls and Boys Town, but has returned to its roots and its original name. Homes can be found in thirteen locations around the United States. They directly care for 51,000 children annually and in 2008 alone, touched over 400,000 children in the United States and around the world.
0 comments:
Post a Comment