“if you want to save the future, start by saving the children”

This quote was a guiding principle of Father Edward J. Flanagan, and for a world once again ravaged by war and a struggling economy, the story of his life and legacy is as inspiring as it is instructive. Heart of a Servant documents Father Flanagan’s unwavering commitment to protect abandoned and orphaned youth from the Great Depression through the aftermath of World War II—defying racist laws and institutions to serve society’s most vulnerable members and give them a future of hope.

From his lifelong health struggles and immigrant journey to the United States to his remarkable founding of Boys Town for orphaned youth to his advising heads of state on post-war child welfare policies, this film shows Father Flanagan as a visionary yet humble priest whose impact is as relevant now as ever before.

The Vatican is considering his cause for canonization as a saint, and we hope this film will amplify the story of his saintly life.