Father Edward J. Flanagan Press Photograph (1935)

The Ideology of Father Flanagan: Radical Reform in Child Welfare

• Challenging the Institutional Model: In the early 20th century, most dependent or troubled children were placed in massive, prison-like reformatories or underfunded orphanages that emphasized harsh punishment. Father Flanagan vehemently rejected this approach, arguing that delinquent behavior was almost always a symptom of a broken or neglected environment rather than an inherent flaw in the child.

• The Self-Governing Village Concept: Boys Town operated on a unique democratic system where the residents elected their own mayor, city commissioners, and police force. This hands-on civic participation was designed to instill self-respect, accountability, and leadership skills that traditional reform schools failed to teach.

Public Perception and Press Photography in 1935

• The "Moral Authority" Figure: By 1935, the media frequently framed figures like Father Flanagan as moral compasses during a turbulent decade marked by economic hardship and rising global tensions. Photographic portraits distributed by agencies like Acme Newspictures were carefully curated to project dignity, compassion, and steadfast leadership.

• Archival Preservation: The stamps and reference numbers on the back of your 5x7-inch print reveal how media outlets archived these portraits. Photos of Father Flanagan were kept on hand in newsroom "morgues" (reference departments) so that editors could instantly pull his image for breaking news features, fundraising drives, or updates on Boys Town's continuous expansion.

The Global Reach of Boys Town

• International Acclaim: While rooted in Nebraska, Father Flanagan’s methods drew international attention. Educators, social workers, and foreign dignitaries regularly visited Boys Town to study its blueprint, recognizing it as a revolutionary shift in social work.

• Post-WWII Humanitarian Missions: Father Flanagan’s dedication to children ultimately went global. Toward the end of his life in the late 1940s, President Harry S. Truman asked him to travel to war-torn regions like Europe, Asia, and Japan to help rebuild child welfare infrastructure, cementing his legacy as a worldwide champion for youth.

• 1. The Philosophy and Foundation of Boys Town

  • The Radical Vision of Care: Founded by Father Edward J. Flanagan in Omaha, Nebraska, Boys Town was built on the principle that there is no such thing as a bad child, attributing delinquency entirely to poor environment, training, or lack of guidance.

  • Complete Inclusivity: From its early decades, Father Flanagan welcomed boys of all races, creeds, and backgrounds, creating one of the first intentionally integrated and self-governing communities of its kind.

  2. Media and Press Mechanics in May 1935

  • The Role of Wire Services: By mid-1935, when this Acme Newspictures photograph was stamped, Father Flanagan’s national reputation had made him a frequent subject for human-interest photojournalism.

  • Archival Storage: Newspapers and wire services relied on physical "morgues" or reference departments (REF. DEPT) to keep portraits of prominent public figures ready for breaking news, editorial columns, or historical retrospectives.

  3. The Path to Global Renown

• The Hollywood Immersion: The public visibility generated by mid-1930s press photographs directly set the stage for the landmark 1938 MGM film Boys Town, starring Spencer Tracy, whose Academy Award-winning portrayal forever cemented Father Flanagan's legacy in global pop culture.

• International Child Welfare: Later in life, Father Flanagan's expertise was sought globally by leaders like President Harry S. Truman and General Douglas MacArthur to reform child welfare systems in post-World War II Europe and Asia.

• The Socio-Economic Pressures of 1935

  • The year 1935 placed immense financial and social strain on American families, with widespread poverty and displacement during the Great Depression directly contributing to rising rates of abandoned and homeless youth.

  • Institutions like Boys Town served as a vital safety net when state and local governments were completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of destitution.

  • Media coverage of Father Flanagan during this exact period aimed to highlight stories of hope, rehabilitation, and successful community-building amid national economic hardship.

  The Evolution of Press Relations and Public Relations

  • Public figures in the 1930s increasingly relied on major syndicates like Acme Newspictures and the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) to manage their public image and broadcast their humanitarian missions nationwide.

  • Photographic archives maintained strict cataloging systems—such as the archive number A25855 and routing tags seen on this artifact—to ensure quick access for newspapers needing background portraits on short notice.

  • The dual date stamps of MAY 28 1935 illustrate how rapidly physical prints moved from the field photographer's desk into national syndication rotation.

  Father Flanagan’s Lasting Blueprint for Youth Care

• By shifting the paradigm from punitive reform schools to a self-sustaining municipal model governed by the youth themselves, Father Flanagan permanently altered American social work theory.

• The national attention captured by mid-decade press photographs laid the essential groundwork for the widespread philanthropic donations and public backing required to expand Boys Town into a self-contained city.

• His philosophy that every child deserves a chance in a supportive environment continues to influence modern child welfare organizations, residential treatment centers, and juvenile justice reform policies globally.

• The Interplay Between Humanitarianism and 1930s Print Media

  • In the mid-1930s, the synergy between charitable leaders like Father Edward J. Flanagan and wire agencies like Acme Newspictures was crucial for fundraising and public awareness.

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  • Because institutions like Boys Town relied heavily on national donations to survive the economic strains of the Great Depression, regular distribution of portraits and human-interest updates kept the mission alive in the public consciousness.

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  • Syndicates like the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) ensured that these images reached both major metropolitan dailies and small-town local newspapers, standardizing the visual narrative of compassionate leadership across America.

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  Anatomy of a Newsroom "Morgue" File

  • The physical markings on the reverse of the 5x7-inch photograph—such as the archive number A25855, multiple REF. DEPT stamps, and the MAY 28 1935 processing dates—provide a clear window into how newsrooms operated before the digital age.

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  • When a prominent figure made news, editorial researchers would immediately pull reference prints from the file cabinet ("morgue") to accompany breaking stories, obituaries, or weekend feature columns.

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  • The handwritten note reading "Father Flanagan" at the top of the back served as a quick visual identifier for layout editors sorting through dozens of physical prints on a busy news desk.

    The Evolution of Social Reform Perception

  • The public presentation of Father Flanagan in 1935 helped shift national conversations away from harsh penal approaches to troubled youth toward progressive rehabilitation and educat

  
  

• \
• Edward Joseph Flanagan (13 July 1886 – 15 May 1948) was an Irish-born priest of the Catholic Church in the United States who served for decades in Nebraska. After serving as a parish priest in the Diocese of Omaha, he founded the orphanage and educational complex known as Boys Town, located west of the city in what is now Boys Town, Douglas County, Nebraska. In the 21st century, the complex also serves as a center for troubled youth.
• 
  
• Flanagan's work became widely known, especially after he was played by Spencer Tracy in the movie Boys Town (1938). In the post-World War II era, Flanagan was invited by General Douglas MacArthur to visit Japan and Korea, and later Austria and Germany, to advise him on improving conditions for children in the occupied countries.
• 
  
• In 2012, the Archdiocese of Omaha initiated the process for beatification of Flanagan, and he was declared a Servant of God. Documentation for the cause was sent to the Vatican, and in 2026, Flanagan was declared venerable by Pope Leo XIV.
• 
  
• Early years
• Flanagan was born in the townland of Leabeg, County Roscommon, near the village of Ballymoe, County Galway, Ireland.[1] His parents were John, a herdsman by trade, and Honora Flanagan.[2][3] He attended Summerhill College, Sligo, Ireland.
• 
  
• In 1904, he emigrated to the United States with his sister Nellie. He attended Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where in 1906 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Flanagan entered St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie, New York. Having contracted double pneumonia, Flanagan was forced to take a year off to recover, and stayed with his brother, Father Patrick Flanagan, in Omaha, Nebraska, where Nellie was both housekeeper and nurse.[4]
• 
  
• He then continued his studies in Rome, living at the Capranica while taking classes at Gregorian University. He returned home to Omaha due to his health in the winter of 1908 and took an accounting job at Cudahy Packing Company. Flanagan returned to Europe the following autumn, entering the Royal Imperial Leopold Francis University in Innsbruck, Austria, where he was ordained a priest in 1912.[5]
• 
  
• He returned to the US, where his first assignment was as assistant pastor at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill, Nebraska. He was then transferred to St. Patrick's Church in Omaha and was present during the Tornado outbreak sequence of March 1913, responding to the dead and injured. In 1916, Flanagan established a homeless shelter for transient workers.[4] He became a US citizen in 1919.
• 
  
• Middle years and Boys Town
• In 1917, moved by the plight of youth, he founded a home for homeless boys in Omaha. Archbishop Jeremiah James Harty of the Diocese of Omaha had misgivings, but endorsed Flanagan's experiment in housing and education. Because the downtown facilities were inadequate, Flanagan established Boys Town, ten miles west of Omaha, in 1921. Under Flanagan's direction, Boys Town grew to be a large community with its own boy-mayor, schools, chapel, post office, cottages, gymnasium, and other facilities. Boys between the ages of 10 and 16 could receive an education here and learn a trade. Flanagan did not believe in the reform school model, which he thought too punitive, and stated, "there's no such thing as a bad boy".[6]
• 
  
• Flanagan's work became widely known, especially after the 1938 release of an MGM film about his life, Boys Town, starring Spencer Tracy as Flanagan and Mickey Rooney as one of the boys. Flanagan was allowed to review the script before filming, some of which took place at the complex. Tracy won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance; he talked about Flanagan at his acceptance speech, saying, "If you have seen him through me, then I thank you."[7] An Oscar statuette, dedicated to Flanagan by Tracy, was also given to Boys Town.[7]
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• Later years
• Flanagan served on several committees and boards dealing with the welfare of children. He also published articles on child welfare. Internationally known by the 1940s, in 1946, Flanagan traveled to the Republic of Ireland, where he was appalled by conditions in the children's institutions. He described them as "a national disgrace". When his observations were published after returning to Omaha, Irish print media attacked him, as did the Oireachtas.[8][4]
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• General MacArthur, who was leading the Allied occupation of Japan, invited Monsignor Flanagan to Japan and Korea in 1947 to advise on child welfare. He also invited him to review conditions the next year in occupied territory in Austria and Germany, where Flanagan traveled in 1948.
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• While in Germany, Flanagan died on 15 May 1948 of a heart attack. His body was returned to the United States. He is interred at Dowd Memorial Chapel of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Boys Town, Nebraska.[2]: 13 
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• Beatification process
• On 25 February 2012, the Archdiocese of Omaha opened the beatification process for Flanagan. On 17 March 2012, he was given the title of a Servant of God.[9]
• 
  
• On March 23, 2026, Flanagan was recognized for "heroic virtues" by Pope Leo XIV, granting him the title of Venerable.[10]
• 
  
• Legacy and awards
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• Fr. Edward J. Flanagan statue, Ballymoe, Co Galway
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• Bust of Flanagan created in 1967 by Paul Granlund for the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
• Flanagan received many awards for his work with delinquent and homeless boys. Pope Pius XI named him in 1937 as a Domestic Prelate, with the title Monsignor.
• Flanagan was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1965.
• A bust of Flanagan was created in 1967 by Paul Granlund for the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
• In 1986, the United States Postal Service issued a 4¢ Great Americans series postage stamp honoring him.
• There is a portrait statue dedicated to Msgr. Edward J. Flanagan in Ballymoe in County Galway.
• Representation in other media
• Spencer Tracy starred in Boys Town (1938), loosely inspired by the life and work of Fr. Flanagan, and Mickey Rooney starred as one of the boys. After Tracy won an Oscar for his performance, MGM arranged for another statuette to be inscribed and gave it to Flanagan at Boys Town. It read: "To Father Flanagan, whose great humanity, kindly simplicity, and inspiring courage were strong enough to shine through my humble effort. Spencer Tracy."[7]
• The sequel, Men of Boys Town (1941), also starred Tracy.[7]
• Heart of a Servant - The Father Flanagan Story (2024) is a documentary on Flanagan and Boys Town narrated and co-produced by The Chosen actor, Jonathan Roumie.
• Boys Town is a village in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 410 at the 2020 census,[3] and was estimated at 649 in 2024.[4] Boys Town is an enclave and a suburb of Omaha.
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• History
• The village of Boys Town was established on December 12, 1917 as the headquarters of Father Flanagan's Boys' Home (Boys Town), founded by Father Edward J. Flanagan.[5] The village houses the national headquarters of Boys Town, homes for the youth served and the families that care for them, a church, a museum (The Hall of History), a school, a post office, a fire station, visitor’s center, cafe and other buildings. The village is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]
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• Geography
• According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.948 square miles (2.46 km2), of which 0.908 square miles (2.35 km2) is land and 0.040 square miles (0.10 km2) (4.22%) is water.[1]
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• Demographics
• Historical population
• Census Pop. Note %±
• 1940 254 —
• 1950 975 283.9%
• 1960 997 2.3%
• 1970 989 −0.8%
• 1980 622 −37.1%
• 1990 794 27.7%
• 2000 818 3.0%
• 2010 745 −8.9%
• 2020 410 −45.0%
• 2024 (est.) 649 [4] Increase 58.3%
• U.S. Decennial Census[7]
• 2020 Census[3]
• According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of January 31, 2026, in Boys Town is $295,169.[8]
• 
  
• As of the 2024 American Community Survey, there are 8 estimated households in Boys Town with an average of 2.63 persons per household. The village has a median household income of $73,750. Approximately 66.3% of the village's population lives at or below the poverty line. Boys Town has an estimated 27.7% employment rate, with 31.4% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 100.0% holding a high school diploma.[9] There were 29 housing units at an average density of 31.94 per square mile (12.3/km2).
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• The top five reported languages (people were allowed to report up to two languages, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (86.3%), Spanish (13.7%), Indo-European (0.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.0%), and Other (0.0%).
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• The median age in the village was 18.5 years.
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• Boys Town, Nebraska – racial and ethnic composition
• Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
• Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 2000[10] Pop. 2010[11] Pop. 2020[12] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
• White alone (NH) 524 433 232 64.06% 58.12% 56.59%
• Black or African American alone (NH) 167 190 99 20.42% 25.50% 24.15%
• Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 9 26 14 1.10% 3.49% 3.41%
• Asian alone (NH) 4 3 5 0.49% 0.40% 1.22%
• Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 1 2 0.00% 0.13% 0.49%
• Other race alone (NH) 4 6 0 0.49% 0.81% 0.00%
• Mixed race or multiracial (NH) 48 11 7 5.87% 1.48% 1.71%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race) 62 75 51 7.58% 10.07% 12.44%
• Total 818 745 410 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
• 2020 census
• As of the 2020 census, there were 410 people, 15 households, and 15 families residing in the village.[13] The population density was 453.04 inhabitants per square mile (174.9/km2). There were 46 housing units at an average density of 50.83 per square mile (19.6/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 56.59% White, 24.15% African American, 3.41% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.49% Pacific Islander, 11.71% from some other races and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 12.44% of the population.[14]
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• 2010 census
• As of the 2010 census, there were 745 people, 6 households, and 2 families residing in the village. The population density was 566.54 inhabitants per square mile (218.7/km2). There were 15 housing units at an average density of 11.41 per square mile (4.4/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 66.04% White, 26.17% African American, 3.49% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.61% from some other races and 2.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 10.07% of the population.
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• The Archdiocese of Omaha (Latin: Archidioecesis Omahensis) is a diocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern Nebraska in the United States. Its mother church is St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha; as of 2025, the archbishop is Michael George McGovern.
• 
  
• Territory
• The Archdiocese of Omaha includes 23 counties in northeast Nebraska: Boyd, Holt, Merrick, Nance, Boone, Antelope, Knox, Pierce, Madison, Platte, Colfax, Stanton, Wayne, Cedar, Dixon, Dakota, Thurston, Cuming, Dodge, Burt, Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy.[2]
• 
  
• History
• 1838 to 1888
• The first Catholic missionary to visit present-day Nebraska was Peter De Smet, a Jesuit priest who crossed the Missouri River into the territory to baptize two infants of the Otoe people near present-day Bellevue in 1838. At that time, the area was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of St. Louis. DeSmet later traveled along the Platte River to a council of the tribes.[3]
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• In the mid-19th century, the Omaha area was part of the Nebraska Territory, a vast jurisdiction that covered five states in the Northern Plains and the Rocky Mountains. For the Catholic church, the Nebraska Territory fell under the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory (East of the Rocky Mountains).[4] The first church of any denomination in Nebraska was St. Mary's, established in Omaha in 1856.[5]
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• In 1857, Pope Pius IX established a smaller jurisdiction, the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska. He named James O'Gorman as the apostolic vicar in 1859.[6][7] When O'Gorman arrived in Omaha, he had three priests to assist him; he ordained another priest later that year.[7]
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• The construction of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1867 brought more Catholic immigrants into Nebraska. Due to the poverty of his vicariate, O'Gorman relied heavily on financial support from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in Lyon, France, along with the Leopoldine Society of Austria-Hungary and the Ludwig Missionsverein of the Kingdom of Bavaria.[5]
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• Many Irish immigrants working on the railroad in Nebraska were suffering injuries and illnesses. This prompted O'Gorman to plan a Catholic hospital in Omaha. Having a location for the hospital, he tasked the Sisters of Mercy to raise funds for it. The new hospital opened in 1870. O'Gorman also worked with the Sisters of Mercy to open Mount Saint Mary's Academy, the first Catholic girls school in Omaha.[8] By the time O'Gorman died in 1874, the vicariate had 19 priests serving 12,000 Catholics in 20 parishes and 56 missions.[7]
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• The second apostolic vicar of Nebraska was James O'Connor, appointed by Pius IX.[4] In 1883, Pope Leo XIII erected the Apostolic Vicariate of Montana, taking sections of Montana from the Vicariate of Nebraska.[4]
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• 1888 to 1900
• Leo XIII suppressed the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska in 1888 and replaced it with the Diocese of Omaha, covering all of Nebraska and Wyoming.[9] O'Connor became the first bishop of Omaha. During his tenure as bishop, O'Connor introduced the Franciscan Fathers, the Poor Clares, the Religious of the Sacred Heart, the Benedictines, and the Sisters of Providence to the diocese. In 1879, he founded Creighton School, later to become Creighton College, in Omaha.[10]
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• In 1887, Leo XIII erected the Dioceses of Cheyenne and Lincoln, taking their territory from the Diocese of Omaha. At this point, the diocese only included eastern Nebraska.[4] With the assistance of Sister Katharine Drexel, O'Connor founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious order for Native Americans and African Americans, in 1889.[11] O'Connor died in 1890.
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• The next bishop of Omaha was Bishop Richard Scannell from the Diocese of Concordia in Kansas, named by Leo XIII in 1891.[4] Under his governance, the cornerstone of St. Cecilia Cathedral was laid in 1907.[12] He also oversaw the diocese's expansion to 95 parishes, serving more than 80,000 Catholics.[12] The number of parochial schools and diocesan priests more than doubled and there were increases in the number of religious men and women.[13]
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• Scannell erected the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Omaha in 1892. In 1895, the Good Shepherd Sisters founded the Good Shepherd Home, a residence for troubled girls.[14][15] He also introduced the following religious orders to the diocese:
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• Third Order Regular of St. Francis
• Sisters of St. Joseph
• Presentation Sisters
• Sisters of the Resurrection
• Sisters of St. Benedict
• Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
• Good Shepherd Sisters
• Dominicans
• Felicians
• Ursulines
• Franciscan.[13]
• 1900 to 1945
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• Bishop Harty (pre-1917)
• In 1912, Pope Pius X erected the Diocese of Kearney, taking its territory from the Diocese of Omaha.[4] Four years later, Pope Benedict XV added several more counties from Omaha to Kearney. Scannell died in 1916.
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• Archbishop Jeremiah Harty from the Archdiocese of Manila in the Philippines was named bishop of Omaha by Benedict XV in 1916. Though appointed a bishop, Harty retained the personal title of archbishop. In 1917, Harty expressed skepticism of Edward J. Flanagan's establishment of Boys Town, a home for troubled boys in Nebraska. However, Harty later endorsed its goals.[16] The Sisters of Mercy opened the College of Saint Mary for women in Omaha in 1923.[17] Harty died in 1927.
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• Joseph Rummel replaced Harty in 1928.[18] Rummel became archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1935. James Ryan, rector of Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and titular bishop of Modra, was the next bishop of Omaha.[19][20]
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• 1945 to 1993
• Pope Pius XII elevated the Diocese of Omaha to the Archdiocese of Omaha on August 4, 1945.[4][21] The pope named Ryan as the first archbishop of Omaha. Ryan died in 1947.[22][20]
• 
  
• The second archbishop of Omaha was Bishop Gerald Bergan of the Diocese of Des Moines, appointed in 1948.[23] During his administration, more than $80 million was spent for new Catholic schools, churches, and hospitals in the archdiocese.[24] This caused him to become known as the "building bishop".[25] After Bergan retired in 1969, Auxiliary Bishop Daniel E. Sheehan of Omaha succeeded him.[26]
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• Sheehan's campaign for educational excellence raised more than $26 million to improve Catholic education in the Omaha Metropolitan Area.[26] In response to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, Sheehan established the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council (APC) in the early 1970s.[26] He gathered representatives from the clergy, the religious communities and the laity to share in the archdiocesan decision-making process. The APC placed emphasis on improving family life, youth and young adult ministry, evangelization, social and rural life issues and Hispanic ministry. Sheehan led capital campaigns to raise funds for archdiocesan improvements, including a $4.5 million refurbishment of the St. James Center.[26] His final campaign had a goal of $25 million to build Skutt Catholic High School in Omaha and take care of other capital needs in the archdiocese.[27] Sheehan retired in 1993.
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• 1993 to present
• 
  
• Archbishop Curtiss (2013)
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• Archbishop Lucas (2023)
• Pope John Paul II in 1993 appointed Bishop Elden Curtiss of the Diocese of Helena as the next archbishop of Omaha. Curtiss retired in 2009. That same year, Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop George Joseph Lucas of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois as the fifth archbishop of Omaha.[4]
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• Lucas denied the Intercessors' application and sent the community a list of mandatory reforms. After they refused, Lucas revoked official approval for the group. The community dissolved soon after.[28][29]
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• On March 31, 2025, Pope Francis accepted Lucas resignation and named Bishop Michael George McGovern from the Diocese of Belleville as his successor.[30]
• 
  
• Sexual abuse scandal
• During the 1980s and 1990s, John Fiala amassed accusations of inappropriate behavior toward boys in the Archdiocese of Omaha. However, when Fiala tried to transfer to the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 1995, officials in Omaha gave him a clean bill of health. Fiala was convicted in Texas of attempted murder in 2010 and sentenced to 40 years in prison.[31] In 2014, he was convicted of sexually abusing the boy and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.[32]
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• Daniel Herek, a priest serving in Omaha, was convicted in 1998 of sexually assaulting and videotaping a 14-year-old boy and was sentenced to 20 months to five years in prison. He was laicized.[33][34] In 2002, a jury awarded $800,000 from the archdiocese to a boy who had been abused by Herek.[35]
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• In 2002, Archbishop Curtiss removed Thomas Sellentin, an archdiocesan priest, from public ministry after Sellentin admitted sexually abusing boy over a 30-year period.[36] In 2003, three brothers sued the archdiocese, stating they had all been abused by Sellentin.[37] Sellentin was laicized in 2019.[38]
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• In November 2018, the archdiocese released the names of 38 priests and other clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct, an action requested by the state's top prosecutor.[33] The archdiocese acknowledged that it did not record reports of sexual abuse until 1978.[33]
• 
  
• Bishops
• Archbishop of Omaha
• Archbishopric
• catholic
• Shield topped by a mitre, featuring a silver field divided per red saltire, four red crosses within the four quarters, and a silver wind mill on the saltire
• The coat of arms of the Archbishop Michael George McGovern
• Incumbent
• Michael George McGovern
• Location
• Ecclesiastical province Metropolitan Archdiocese of Omaha
• Information
• First holder James Myles O'Gorman
• Denomination Catholic Church
• Sui iuris church Latin Church
• Established 1859
• Diocese Diocese of Omaha
• Cathedral St. Cecilia Cathedral
• Website
• archomaha.org
• Apostolic Vicars of Nebraska
• James Myles O'Gorman (1859–1874)
• James O'Connor (1876–1890)
• Bishops of Omaha
• James O'Connor (1876–1890)
• Richard Scannell (1891–1916)
• Jeremiah James Harty (1916–1927), Archbishop (personal title)
• Joseph Francis Rummel (1928–1935), appointed Archbishop of New Orleans
• James Hugh Ryan (1935–1947) became Archbishop of Omaha in 1945
• Metropolitan Archbishops of Omaha
• James Hugh Ryan (1935–1947)
• Gerald Thomas Bergan (1947–1969)
• Daniel E. Sheehan (1969–1993)
• Elden Francis Curtiss (1993–2009)
• George Joseph Lucas (2009–2025)
• Michael George McGovern (2025–present)