Blessed Fulton Sheen

His life

Born in Illinois and ordained for the Diocese of Peoria, Sheen taught at The Catholic University of America. He reached a national audience on radio's The Catholic Hour (1930-1950) and television's Life Is Worth Living (1952-1957). He directed the Propagation of the Faith (1950-1966), was auxiliary bishop of New York (1951-1966) and Bishop of Rochester (1966-1969), and wrote sixty-six books. He explained the faith with charity and confidence in Christ (see 1 Corinthians 1:30-31).

His mission

Sheen made the deepest mysteries accessible with warmth and wit. He knew the Church's mission (Matthew 28:18-20) means winning hearts and leading souls to encounter Jesus himself, which is why he made a daily hour before the Blessed Sacrament for fifty-five years and encouraged adoration and reverent Communion. He pioneered Catholic media, speaking clearly without compromising truth. Accepting an Emmy in 1953, he said: "I wish to thank my four writers—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John."

He taught that Christ is the answer to every problem, showed through faith and reason how communism and other ideologies dehumanize man, and insisted that society rests on families committed to the natural moral law. There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday, a message Time featured when he was on its cover in 1952.

His books

Life of Christ is the best place to start: it shows why Jesus is "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6) and helps readers contemplate him with wonder. Three to Get Married presents marriage as a grace-filled covenant in Christ. His autobiography Treasure in Clay and Life Is Worth Living are also recommended. He urges conversion with confidence that God can do more with our lives than we imagine (see Matthew 19:26).

Some of his sayings

• "If you do not live what you believe, you will end up believing what you live."
• "Peace is not the absence of war; it is the presence of justice."
• "The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white Host."

Common questions

• Was he married? No. He lived priestly celibacy for the kingdom (see Matthew 19:10-12; 1 Corinthians 7:7-8).
• When did he die? December 9, 1979, in New York, the day after the Immaculate Conception, reportedly praying before the Blessed Sacrament in his chapel.
• Where is he buried? In a side chapel of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria.
• Beatification and canonization: Beatification declares a person "Blessed," allowing limited public veneration, normally after a recognized miracle. Canonization, the pope's declaration that a person is a saint for the universal Church, normally requires a second miracle.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, you gave your servant Fulton Sheen a burning love for the Eucharist and a gift for proclaiming your truth with clarity and charity. Through his intercession, draw us into deeper prayer, stronger faith, and a joyful courage that does not fear the world. If it is for your glory and the good of souls, advance his cause and raise him up among the saints of your Church. Amen.