Posted on 02/25/2014 5:27:57 PM PST by NKP_Vet
Fulton John Sheen was born to Newton and Delia on May 8,1895 in El Paso, Illinois. The oldest of four sons, he was baptized Peter John in St. Mary’s Church, but soon became known by his mother’s maiden name, Fulton. The family moved to Peoria where the young Sheen attended school and served as an altar boy at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Turning down a significant scholarship for graduate school, he followed his desire to become a priest and entered St. Paul’s Seminary in Minnesota.
He was ordained a priest on September 20, 1919 in the Peoria Cathedral. Father Sheen went on to become Archbishop Fulton John Sheen, a universally popular evangelist, radio/TV personality, writer and missionary. He is most known for his television series, “Life is Worth Living” which had a viewing audience of over 30 million people.
On October 3, 1979 Archbishop Sheen had an audience with Pope John Paul II at which the Pope embraced Sheen and gave a perfect summary of his life and work: “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You have been a loyal son of the Church!” Archbishop Fulton John Sheen, a Son of Peoria, a Son of the Church, died on December 9, 1979 in his private chapel in his Manhattan apartment. In 2002, Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, of the Diocese of Peoria, IL officially opened the cause for Sheen’s beatification and canonization.
(Excerpt) Read more at archbishopsheencause.org ...
Heavenly Father, source of all holiness, You raise up within the Church in every age men and women who serve with heroic love and dedication. You have blessed Your Church through the life and ministry of Your faithful servant, Archbishop Fulton J Sheen. He has written and spoken well of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and was a true instrument of the Holy Spirit in touching the hearts of countless people.
If it be according to Your Will, for the honor and glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for the salvation of souls, we ask You to move the Church to proclaim him a saint. We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
Oh dear, my mother loved this man and gave us a video of his shows! (Also my neighbor!)
Archbishop Sheen was a wonderful force for good in the Church here in America. He reached out to many, and I would imagine was probably responsible for numerous conversions and vocations. He was also a powerful counterbalance to the dissident forces of modernism in the Church here in America.
I grew up watching Bishop Sheen on TV.
My Grandmother canonized his a looooong time ago.
(Rather than denying TV to me as a kid, my family made it mandatory. Ding-Dong School with Miss Frances, Bishop Sheen and Lawrence Welk were among the “must watch” selections.)
Words of wisdom from Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen:
“WHO IS GOING TO SAVE OUR CHURCH? NOT OUR BISHOPS, NOT OUR PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS. IT IS UP TO THE PEOPLE. YOU HAVE THE MINDS, THE EYES, THE EARS TO SAVE THE CHURCH. YOUR MISSION IS TO SEE THAT YOUR PRIESTS ACT LIKE PRIESTS, YOUR BISHOPS, LIKE BISHOPS, AND YOUR RELIGIOUS ACT LIKE RELIGIOUS.”
He left one out: And your popes act like popes.
“we ask You to move the Church to proclaim him a saint”
This is truly silly. He either was a saint when he died or he will never be one now, no matter who prays for him.
Should have put “Catholic Caucus” at the end of the title.
I didn’t think it would take long for protestants to weigh in about something they know nothing about.
“Saint” is a human designated tag. It doesn’t actually DO anything, the person is no less dead because some Catholic Committee labels them a saint.
““Saint” is a human designated tag.”
Actually, it is a redefinition of God’s declaration in Scripture that Christians are saints.
“It doesn’t actually DO anything,”
We agree that it is useless.
“I didn’t think it would take long for protestants to weigh in about something they know nothing about.”
Oh, I know the truth God reveals in Scripture.
Have another beer.
One’s my limit. Done.
Are you sure he’s deserving of canonization? In 1967, he denounced the Vietnam War, undermining our effort to save the South Vietnamese, many of whom were Roman Catholics, from having to live under Communism.
this man did a tremendous amount of good...
Although critics of the Catholic Church’s actions during World War II don’t want the canonization of Pope Pius XII (1876-1958), when he died in 1958, a nun wrote to Padre Pio and he replied of the Pope, “He is in Paradise ... yes, I have seen him in Paradise.” St. Pio’s spiritual director wrote in his own diary, “Padre Pio was very sad for the death of Pope Pio XII. But Our Lord let him see the Pope in the glory of Paradise.” And with that uplifting thought, we wish you a joyful New Year’s Eve.
That men like Sheen and Cardinal Newman are now considered “conservative” illustrates just how low Catholicism has fallen.
Fulton Sheen was a great orthodox Catholic. Newman died over a 100 years ago. Was also very orthodox.
This is some reading. Nice to know thanks for telling. Great post!! Praise Jesus!
It's clear that Archbishop Sheen hated Communism.
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