The Office of the Chaplain United States House of Representatives

Reverend Steven Boes

Boys Town
Boys Town, NE

Sponsor: Rep. Lee Terry, (R-NE)
Date of Prayer: 06/23/2010

One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize our guest chaplain, a constituent of the Second District of Nebraska, Father Steven Boes . On July 1, Father Boes will celebrate 5 years as the national executive director of Boys Town, one of the largest nonprofit, nonsectarian child care organizations in the United States. He is the fourth priest to succeed Father Edward Flanagan who founded Boys Town in 1917.

A native of Carroll, Iowa, Father Boes holds a bachelor's degree in sociology and master's degree in theology and divinity from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also holds a master's degree in counseling from Creighton University in Omaha.

A priest of the Omaha archdiocese, Father Boes previously served as the director of St. Augustine Indian Mission in Winnebago, Nebraska, before coming to Boys Town. He has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit administration and youth advocacy and will be a great leader in carrying out Boys Town's mission in the 21st century.

For 93 years, Boys Town has helped at–risk youth and families through a variety of services, and the organization has now expanded to 12 locations nationally. Last year, the organization served nearly 370,000 children and adults across the U.S., Canada and the U.S. territories, as well as in several foreign countries.

Boys Town has grown significantly since Father Flanagan's era. In 1977, the Boys Town National Research Hospital opened its doors and has become a national treatment center for children with hearing and speech problems and other communication disorders. Boys Town also opened its national hotline in 1989. Currently, Boys Town is implementing its Integrated Continuum of Care, which allows each child or family to make progress within the same treatment model while still getting individualized care.

Today, I honor Father Steven Boes . He is dedicated to the children and families throughout our Nation, representing the true spirit and tradition of Boys Town.

Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:

Creator God,
We ask your blessings upon these men and women of the United States House of Representatives. Give them the wisdom of Fr. Edward Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town, who once said, "Any enterprise that does not have God at the heart of it is bound to fail."

Help them to clearly see the needs of America’s children, families and communities. Fr. Flanagan taught America, "There are no bad boys; only bad environment, bad training, bad example." Help them to understand that there are no bad families either! Every family has at least one member who loves their children and wants them to succeed.

Please inspire these Members to work together to strengthen our families and communities so that our children can become stronger in body, mind, and spirit.

To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory