Who was Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen?

In the run-up to his beatification, the Executive Director of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation explores the life and legacy of this famous evangelizer.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was a philosopher, a theologian, a priest and bishop, an author, a promoter of the missionary activity of the Church, and a modern evangelist using radio and television to preach the Gospel.  Archbishop Sheen united intellectual brilliance with profound spiritual conviction and a remarkable ability to communicate the truths of the Faith with clarity.  He was animated by his dedication to a daily Eucharistic holy hour which formed in him a deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Peter John Sheen was born on 8 May 1895 in El Paso, Illinois, the eldest of four sons of Newton and Delia Sheen. Since he took after his mother’s side of the family, he came to be called by his mother’s maiden name, Fulton.  Raised in a devout Catholic family, he developed an early vocation to the priesthood. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria on 20 September 1919.

Recognizing his intellectual gifts, his superiors sent him to Europe for advanced studies. In 1923, he earned a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. His academic formation, grounded in the philosophical and theological tradition of the Church, prepared him for a lifelong apostolate of teaching and evangelization.

After graduating, Sheen’s Bishop assigned him as parochial vicar in a downtown parish in Peoria where he was successful in preaching and inspiring many converts.  After this test of obedience, Sheen’s Bishop released him to teach philosophy and theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. His intellectual discipline was accompanied by a growing pastoral concern: he sought to make the Church's teachings intelligible and compelling to ordinary people.

Throughout his priesthood, Sheen placed prayer at the center of his apostolate. His commitment to a daily Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament became one of the defining practices of his spiritual life. He regarded this period of prayer as essential to his priestly identity and to the fruitfulness of his ministry.  He maintained a daily Holy Hour before the Eucharist since the day of his priesthood ordination.  His prayer, which he described as “the hour that makes my day,” was the source of his profound insight into the Gospel and the person of Jesus Christ.  Sheen was a public preacher who spoke courageously about Jesus, but only after first listening to him privately in prayer before the Eucharist.

Sheen's public ministry expanded through modern communications. Beginning in 1930, he presented The Catholic Hour, a radio program that brought Catholic teaching into homes throughout the United States. His clear reasoning, engaging delivery, and pastoral warmth attracted an audience of more than 4 million people.  He was recognized for his intellectual charity, presenting difficult truths in a clear manner, without losing sight of the need for encouragement amidst the challenges of modern society.  His literary works developed alongside his broadcasting career. Among his 66 published books, Life of Christ is regarded as one of his most inspired contributions to understand the person of Jesus and the Gospels.

In 1950, Sheen began a new responsibility as the National Director of the Propagation of the Faith and was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York in 1951. He worked tirelessly not only to raise money to support the missions, but he also visited the remote areas where the Church was growing to bring the message of the faith to foreign lands.  In his work in the Propagation of the Faith, Sheen considered it a privilege to be able to minister to the whole world.

In 1951, Sheen brought the Gospel to people throughout the United States through his television program, Life Is Worth Living. Using a simple set and a chalkboard, he captivated an audience of more than 30 million persons by addressing questions of faith, morality, suffering, family, and our human dignity in a clear and candid way.  Sheen was a gifted communicator who used philosophical argument, theological insight, humor, and storytelling to reach Catholics, but also Protestants and Jews with his inspirational message.

Sheen participated as a Father of the Second Vatican Council where he met two future popes: Archbishop Karol Wojtyla and Father Joseph Ratzinger. In 1966, Sheen was appointed Bishop of Rochester, New York at the age of 71.  He dedicated himself diligently to the implementation of the Council and to evangelizing the faithful.

He retired in 1969 and was given the title of Archbishop.  He spent his remaining years writing, preaching, giving retreats, while continuing to spend time in prayer.  His autobiography, Treasure in Clay, was written shortly before his death, describing the way in which the clay of his humanity was shaped by Jesus into an instrument to serve the Church.  His spirituality has been molded by the Cross, the Eucharist, and the Blessed Mother.  Undergoing open heart surgery late in life, he offered up his sufferings in union with Jesus whose heart was pierced on the cross.

Two months before his death, Pope Saint John Paul II greeted Archbishop Sheen during an apostolic visit to New York. Although his health was weak, Archbishop Sheen came forward at the Holy Father’s request and tried to kneel before him.  Pope John Paul lifted him up, embraced him, and said, “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a loyal son of the Church.”  As Sheen was filled with deep respect for each successor of Peter, these words were a fitting capstone on a life lived in service to Jesus Christ and his Church.  Archbishop Sheen died on 9 December 1979 in New York City.

His Cause was opened in the Diocese of Peoria in 2002, the place of his priesthood ordination. The miracle for his Beatification took place in 2010 when a child born without heartbeat or respiration was revived after 61 minutes to perfect health.  The miracle was approved by Pope Francis in 2019.  Pope Leo, who has a personal memory of seeing Bishop Sheen on television when he was young, approved the Beatification to take place in St. Louis, Missouri (USA) on 24 September 2026.

Jason Gray
Source: vaticannews.va/en