About the League
Vision:
Celebrate the day when the Holy Roman Catholic Church canonizes Monsignor Edward J. Flanagan in recognition of his place with Jesus Christ among the Lord’s communion of saints. Mission:
To educate and inform all people of the heroic virtue and sanctity of Father Flanagan's life and his mission as mentor and protector of youth, and spread devotion of his example througho
ut the world. Objectives:
•Promote devotion, help establish prayer groups, identify and link individuals and organizations to the movement.
•Help to collect information, document, maintain records, quantify and provide verifiable evidence of the groundswell and spontaneous devotion to Father Flanagan and his potential intercessions.
•Maintain communication and collaboration with other prayer groups worldwide
Purpose of the League:
Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church, indicates that a precursor for a legitimate canonization process is spontaneous devotion of the laity to embody a groundswell of devotion toward a potential candidate who could eventually be recognized by the Church as one or all of the following: Servant of God; Blessed; or Saint). This groundswell of devotion embodied within the laity is known as the Actors. Origins of the League:
The Father Flanagan League Society of Devotion are Actors who are motivated by the Holy Spirit to seek the intercession of Father Flanagan with our prayers. There have been various individual and group of Actors since the time of Father Flanagan’s passing in 1948. The League in its modern form was established in July 1999 by the inspiration of Kenneth Suddeth, President of the Boys Town National Alumni Association at that time. Actors who are actually part of a Holy Order such as Jesuits or Benedictines have opened many causes. Father Flanagan was a diocesan priest and not a member of a Holy Order. (In many ways, the youth who received his direct care or came to Boys Town after his passing are Father Flanagan’s order.) The youth who received his direct care or came to Boys Town after his passing are Father Flanagan’s legacy. While Boys Town alumni have been intimately involved in this groundswell of devotion, the individual volunteers who facilitate the League’s official business are laity with no direct connection to Boys Town. They along with the vast majority of thousands of Actors worldwide (including non-Catholics) are simply moved by the Holy Spirit to join in this groundswell of devotion. Interaction with the Roman Catholic Church: The League functions with the full knowledge and within the view of the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Omaha. The Church cannot direct the laity to pursue devotion toward Father Flanagan. It can eventually be overwhelmed and recognize that a groundswell of devotion exists within the laity. This recognition leads to the opening of a cause and must be granted by a Bishop. Once the cause is opened the groundswell can officially be characterized as a movement. Incorporation and Governance of the League: The League formally incorporated in the state of Nebraska as a religious organization in August 2008. We received federal recognition from the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 c 3, charitable non-profit religious organization on March 20, 2009. The League has two distinct bodies that govern its affairs. A 13-member Board of Directors manage the administrative, financial and legal requirements of the League. The Advisory Council is completely focused on the spiritual, devotional aspects for outreach and collecting evidence of the groundswell of devotion along with examples of Father Flanagan’s heroic virtue, sanctity and response to intercessory prayers. Donations: The Father Flanagan League Society of Devotion (FFLSD) is a charitable non-profit religious organization under the federal Internal Revenue Service code 501 c 3. Donations to the League may be tax deductible. Consult your financial advisor for more information on your tax benefits for this donation. The Father Flanagan League Society of Devotion is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff. Your donation will go to the direct costs for sharing devotional information, the collection of evidence, testimony, and other costs associated with the proper administration and logistics of the organization that includes the pursuit of this cause with the Archdiocese of Omaha and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican in Rome, Italy.
