Fulton J. Sheen, the 'microphone of God', about to be declared blessed

– Michael R. Heinlein

The beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is here. In his capacity as papal delegate of Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinal Luis A. Tagle will preside over the beatification mass in San Luis, about 270 kilometers southwest, this Thursday, September 24.

At 1:30 p.m. (Central Time), the procession for the Beatification Mass will begin, during which a brief biography of Archbishop Sheen will be read. Cardinal Tagle will also read an apostolic letter from Leo XIV The proclamation, delivered in Latin and repeated in English, declares that Archbishop Sheen now holds the title of "Blessed." His relic will then be presented for veneration and incensing.

Priest from a very young age

Born in El Paso, Illinois (United States) on May 8, 1895, Archbishop Sheen decided at a young age to serve the Church as a priest. Known for his constant interest in books, after his priestly ordination on September 20, 1919, he was assigned to academic ministry in the Diocese of Peoria. A philosopher at heart, Archbishop Sheen stated that his goals for the priesthood were “to know two things: what the world thinks and how to respond to errors in the light of the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas.”.

An extraordinary zeal for souls

After studying in Europe, a promising future as a teacher awaited him. However, he had to return home to Peoria to serve as an assistant priest in a poor parish in the city center, a true test of his obedience. 

Archbishop Sheen devoted himself entirely to the work, demonstrating extraordinary zeal for souls. As part of his parish ministry, he undertook a door-to-door evangelization campaign.

In less than a year, Archbishop Sheen obtained a professorship at The Catholic University of America in Washington, a position he held for 25 years. He soon became one of the most popular professors on campus, known for his dynamic and stimulating classes. During that time, he wrote more than half of his nearly 70 books.

Eloquence, radio programs 

Archbishop Sheen's eloquence was a success, in part, due to his commitment to not using notes. His mastery of the subject was forged through hours of preparation and memorization.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Archbishop Sheen became widely known as the host of 'The Catholic Hour,' a program that aired nationally on NBC radio in New York. 

He established himself as an influential voice nationwide: a prophet who proclaimed the truth and spoke out on various topics, particularly the threats posed by communism. For this reason, he was even the subject of an FBI investigation.

Energy to power missions around the world

Following his appointment as director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in 1950, Archbishop Sheen had to leave his teaching position and move to New York City. The following year, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of New York and ordained in Rome on June 11, 1951. Archbishop Sheen began his work in support of world missions with great energy, and his innovative efforts enabled him to evangelize simultaneously.

Audiences of 30 million people and winner of an Emmy

On Tuesday nights between 1952 and 1957, Archbishop Sheen shared eternal truths with an estimated audience of 30 million people through his television program, 'Life Is Worth Living'. With apparent ease and captivating eloquence, he helped viewers find meaning in life and guided them toward the divine, always with his famous cape and blackboard.

In addition, Archbishop Sheen earned millions of dollars in advertising, which (along with the profits from his books) directly supported the missions. He dedicated an hour to preparing each of his 30-minute broadcasts. As in the classroom, he refused to use notes; instead, he presented scripts in Italian and French for his televised lessons. 

After his first year on television, Archbishop Sheen won an Emmy for Outstanding Television Personality. Upon receiving it, he effusively thanked his writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Highly sought-after preacher

Archbishop Sheen's writings and preaching were inspired by a vibrant and heroic faith. On his travels around the world visiting missions, he drew huge crowds. He was a highly sought-after preacher; his Good Friday sermons in the packed St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York became especially legendary.

As a shepherd of souls, Archbishop Sheen's selfless ministry was characterized by great faith, hope, and charity. He was a caring pastor to both the richest and the poorest. A unique combination of intelligence, wit, and humor made him an effective evangelist. With clear teaching and common sense, Archbishop Sheen helped people understand life's problems. His work in the media contributed to eradicating widespread anti-Catholicism in the United States.

In everything he said and did, Archbishop Sheen remembered that his work was the Lord's. When Pope Pius XII asked him how many conversions he had helped bring about, Archbishop Sheen replied, "I always fear that if I were to count them, he would think I did them myself, instead of the Lord.".

Eucharistic Holy Hour: “The hour that brightens my day”

Like St. Paul, Archbishop Sheen could not transmit what he had not first received in Christ. Throughout his priesthood, he sought to conform himself more closely to Christ by observing the [unclear] daily. Eucharistic Holy Hour, which she called "the hour that brightens my day". 

This practice led him to experience various situations, some even comical, such as when he was forced to jump out of a window after the parish priest of a Chicago church accidentally locked him in. He was also deeply devoted to the Mother of God.

Marked by the Cross

Archbishop Sheen struggled with various temptations and difficulties throughout his life, many stemming from his fame. Among them was the hidden suffering he endured during a decade of hostility from Cardinal Francis Spellman of New York. But in the face of his trials, Archbishop Sheen persevered in virtue. He understood his sufferings in the light of divine providence: “Christianity does not begin with the sunlight, but with defeat. During those days when my life was marked by the Cross, I began to know and love it more.”.

In what would be his final Good Friday sermon, Bishop Sheen acknowledged having experienced great suffering, both physical and otherwise, that should never have happened. However, reflecting on his past, he affirmed that he had not received the punishment he deserved. “God has been forgiving with me. He has not imposed burdens on me that are commensurate with my sins,” he declared.

Cardinal? “I refused to pay the price”

Given his talents and influence, many expected Archbishop Sheen to become a cardinal. After his retirement, when asked why he did not rise in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, he replied, "I refused to pay that price… I felt it would be disloyal to my own principles and, I believe, to Christian practice.".

From 1966 to 1969, Archbishop Sheen was Bishop of Rochester, New York. It was a brief tenure, considered by many to be an exile. Archbishop Sheen had been actively involved in the Second Vatican Council and, as diocesan bishop, worked to implement some of its main themes, including the reform of priestly formation and increased lay participation.

Attentive to the circumstances, his priorities were often based on social conscience. He ministered to the poor, worked to improve race relations, and openly opposed the Vietnam War. But despite Archbishop Sheen's efforts, his brief tenure encountered considerable resistance and, by his own admission, resulted in a significant failure.

Temptations and sufferings

After his request for early retirement was accepted in 1969, St. Paul VI granted Archbishop Sheen the title of “archbishop.” During his last decade, he continued to preach extensively, conduct spiritual retreats for the renewal of the priesthood throughout the country, and maintain an active presence in the public sphere through regular media appearances.

According to Archbishop Sheen, temptations and the sufferings The trials he faced purified him and intensified his union with Christ. Toward the end of his life, in his autobiography, Archbishop Sheen apologized for his failings, asking himself, "Did I inspire anyone to imitate Christ by carrying their cross each day?".

Two months before his death, Saint John Paul II embraced him during a visit to Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York and told him: “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You are a faithful son of the Church.”.

To cause setbacks

After nearly two years in and out of the hospital following open-heart surgery, Archbishop Sheen died at the age of 85 on December 9, 1979, in New York, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. devotees Devotion to him multiplied after his death, and many turned to him for inspiration and intercession. In 2002, his cause for canonization was opened. Archbishop Sheen was declared venerable a decade later.

After several setbacks, on February 9, 2026, Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria announced that the cause for beatification of the venerated archbishop had been approved and that he was collaborating with the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to finalize the details.

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– Michael R. Heinlein is the author of “Glorifying Christ: The Life of Cardinal Francis E. George, OMI.”.

This article was originally published on OSN News. You can consult it here. here.

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