By 
ST. LOUIS — Archbishop Fulton Sheen, despite his humble origins in small-town Illinois, aspired to great things as an academic and as a communicator of the Catholic faith. On Sept. 24, before a crowd of tens of thousands at The Dome at America’s Center, the farm-boy-turned-mass-media star was declared “blessed” after the reading of a decree signed by Pope Leo XIV, a fellow Midwesterner.
Via his decree, Pope Leo announced Blessed Sheen’s feast day will be on Dec. 9, the anniversary of his death. His feast day is expected to be on the calendar of the Catholic Church in the United States.
Cardinal Luis Tagle, the pope’s representative and the principal celebrant of the beatification Mass, reflected on the meaning of “blessed” during his homily — noting that throughout history many who shared the Christian faith suffered persecution, yet their lives were still marked by joy. It is Sheen’s deep, humble relationship with Jesus Christ and his radical solidarity with the poor and vulnerable that characterized his life as a missionary, one that all Catholics should emulate, Tagle said.
Despite his massive worldly popularity and the fact that he personally accompanied countless converts in their journey to become Catholic, Tagle noted that Sheen did not “claim” the converts as his own but rather described himself as a mere “porter” who led people to the “open door of the house of God.”
“It is for being a zealous and creative evangelizer, an advocate for mission that Fulton Sheen is called ‘blessed’ or ‘fortunate’ or ‘happy’… Blessed is the Evangelizer, converted by beholding and touching the wounds of the risen Christ in wounded brothers and sisters, blessed is the missionary who digs deep into the heart of the poor to meet Jesus there. Blessed Fulton J. Sheen!” Tagle proclaimed.
Jam-packed crowds of Catholics of all ages — from the elderly who were around when Sheen’s shows first aired, to numerous families with small children — had descended on the stadium for the Mass, which began with a lengthy procession of some 1,000 priests, 89 bishops, and hundreds of seminarians and deacons.
The actual moment when Sheen became “blessed” happened early in the proceedings, following the proclamation of a decree signed by Pope Leo XIV. As is customary at beatifications, the decree was read first in Latin by Tagle, the pope’s representative and the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and afterward in the vernacular — in this case English — by Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, Illinois, in whose diocese Sheen was born.
Immediately following the reading, a portrait of Blessed Sheen was revealed showing him with a halo, to thunderous applause. The same portrait was simultaneously unveiled at his tomb at the Cathedral St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria.
Earlier in the day, Monsignor Jason Gray, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation, announced that six purported miracles are attributed to the intercession of Sheen as part of the process that could lead to his canonization. Any purported miracle attributed to Sheen’s intercession that has taken place since Pope Francis announced his beatification in July 2019 can count toward his eventual canonization, which typically requires a second miracle to move forward.
James Fulton Engstrom, recipient of the confirmed miracle that cleared the way for Sheen’s beatification, survived in spite of having spent 61 minutes without a heartbeat. The healthy 16-year-old presented several of Sheen’s relics during the beatification Mass today.
Catholics from all over the world hailed Sheen’s example as a highly creative and effective missionary, who used every means available to him to share the love of Christ.
Father Solomon Patrick Zaku, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Nigeria, flew to the U.S. for his first-ever visit to the country to attend the beatification of Sheen, who previously served as the Pontifical Mission Societies’ national director for the U.S.
“While I was in the seminary, I read about his book and about his life, and I was somewhat touched by his life. One of the things I have learned from him is the Holy Hour, spending an hour daily, and that has been part of my daily routine, which has been my source of inspiration,” Zaku said. “As the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Nigeria, [we] promote the Mission Rosary, which Archbishop Fulton Sheen introduced … I pray it daily.”
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“the farm-boy-turned-mass-media star”
That’s a crass way of describing people’s attraction to the Truth of the Gospel. I don’t think many who turned on the TV to listen to his Sunday evening talks would have viewed him as a Mass media star.
They were attracted to him, and his shows, for all the right reasons, though. He wasn’t peddling sensationalism, but the truth (as you noted), with a dash of humor.
Fr. Mark on EWTN this morning said he listened to his father’s Sheen tapes when he was discerning in the 70’s and his preaching was somewhat like a revelation.
Even though there was some jealously about his talents and success, it seems to be a story of a humble human using his extraordinary talents for the good of mankind and furthering the Kingdom of the Father on earth. His warnings about the threats of communism are obviously still valid.
I worked with an older fella who livestreamed TV on the company’s computer when the world was waiting for Benedict to be unveiled as the new pope in 2005. I knew he was a fallen away Catholic and remarried, but we chatted a bit about the church, and he resolutely remarked, “I was an altar server for Bishop Sheen when I was growing up.”
thank God for Blessed Fulton Sheen
but why is “purported” the best qualification of the “miracles??? just innocently asking.
I am listening to a conservative talk show (day after beatification) and they’re replaying some of his warnings on mother communism. One being that because they don’t believe in God then the state has the answers etc… When you need a humorous pickup, listen to his take on the difference between a “drunk” and an “alcoholic.” He totally understands this chronic societal problem but makes light on some of its responses, based on the drinker’s status.
As many of you know, he is on Relevant Radio on Sunday mornings at 9 Eastern. You can access on the internet.
Nice write up on the beatification of the Church’s first celebrity preacher.
Far better to describe Blessed Sheen as a great Catholic preacher, evangelist, catechist, philosopher, and spiritual director.
(But what about St. John Chrysostom? He was famous because of his preaching; the Greek nickname Chrysostom means “golden-mouthed”.)
Yes, Sheen was a “celebrity” as far as such things go, but that sort of secular fame never appealed to him. He used the means of communication available to him.
It might surprise some, but I have never watched any of his TV programs. But I have read about 20 of his books (and own around 40), including his more academic works.
He wasn’t just brilliant; he was a rare communicator. And he loved Christ and the Church.
I am listening to a conservative talk show (day after beatification) and they’re replaying some of his warnings on mother communism. One being that because they don’t believe in God then the state has the answers etc… When you need a humorous pickup, listen to his take on the difference between a “drunk” and an “alcoholic.” He totally understands this chronic societal problem but makes light on some of its responses, based on the drinker’s status.
As many of you know, he is on Relevant Radio on Sunday mornings at 9 Eastern. You can access on the internet.
I prefer to read Fulton Sheen than to watch him. I heard he was told early on that he was a terrible speaker & because of that he then practiced delivering sermons over & over again. He may have overcorrected just a little.
When he writes, it’s minus the theatricality & less distracting to me.
I think that’s a reasonable assessment; it rings true with me. I tend to prefer the written word in most cases, and his writing is completely unaffected.
When I was a college student, my philosophy teacher (a French Christian Brother) was able to retrieve Martin Luther King’s doctoral thesis just shortly after his assassination.
I am wondering if anyone has thought of requesting loan of a copy of Blessed Sheen’s doctoral dissertation from the Louvain.
I’m quite certain that his first book, God and Intelligence in Modern Philosophy (1925) was/is that dissertation.
December 9th is Juan Diego!
Emotive he was at times theatrical as said, although that emotive energy inspired priests. His Retreat for Priests series were the best sermons I’ve heard. Motivational, much based on actual events.
Motivational speaking is an art. Listening to Sheen absent the visual drama elicits a more intellectual response to the moral content. What Sheen conveyed was that all or nothing faith that produced martyrs red and white.
His legendary chalkboards were sometimes photographed I heard; do any of those happen to be in the books? If you look closely, he’s holding a piece of chalk in the above photo.