Boys Town’s Father Flanagan called Ireland’s reform schools a ‘disgrace’
June 01, 2009
In a 1946 trip to his native Ireland, Father Edward Flanagan (1886-1948), founder of Boys Town, toured reform schools now under fire for their endemic abuse and called them a “scandal, un-Christlike, and wrong.”
Describing the schools as “a disgrace to the nation,” he told a large audience, “You are the people who permit your children and the children of your communities to go into these institutions of punishment. You can do something about it.”
Minister for Justice Gerald Boland said at the time that he was “not disposed to take any notice of what Monsignor Flanagan said while he was in this country, because his statements were so exaggerated that I did not think people would attach any importance to them.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- Boys Town founder Fr. Flanagan warned Irish Church about abuse (IrishCentral.com)
- Remarks by justice minister in Irish parliament (1946) (hat tip: Monastic Musings)
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
