Posted on 03/06/2014 2:10:35 PM PST by NYer
A team of Vatican-appointed medical experts has verified the authenticity of a miracle attributed to the intercession of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, moving the renowned preacher closer to beatification.
Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria, Illinois, announced on March 6 that the panel of experts had found no medical explanation for the case of a child who was restored to life after being stillborn. Medical personnel had tried for an hour to revive the child, without success, while the parents prayed for the intercession of Archbishop Sheen. The child, born in September 2010, is now a healthy 3-year-old.
“Today is a significant step in the cause for the beatification and canonization of our beloved Fulton Sheen, a priest of Peoria and a son of the heartland who went on to change the world,” said Bishop Jenky, who had formally opened the cause for beatification of Archbishop Sheen in 2002.
The reported miracle will now be examined by a team of theologians, and if they approve it, submitted to the entire Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The final approval of the miracle would fulfill the last requirement for the beatification of Cardinal Sheen, who was proclaimed “Venerable” by Pope Benedict XVI in June 2012.
Born in Illinois in 1895, Fulton Sheen was ordained to the priesthood in the Peoria diocese in 1919. He taught philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of America, before becoming an auxiliary bishop of New York in 1951. His fame soared as a result of work in broadcasting; in the 1950s his weekly show, “Life Is Worth Living,” was the most popular program on American television. Bishop Sheen was appointed Bishop of Rochester, New York, in 1966, and raised to the title of archbishop on his retirement in 1969. He died in New York in 1979.
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Does Fulton Sheen really deserve sainthood? In 1967, he came out against the Vietnam War, doing his part to undermine our effort to prevent the South Vietnamese, many of whom were Roman Catholics, from having to live under Communism.
Hey NYER TBN spin off network Church channel still show Bishop Sheen show I think on Saturday afternoon
A good and mostly wise man, but a saint? No.
It is so easy for any one of us to slip into the role of judge and jury. For that reason, the process to sainthood is conducted independently against rigid standards and include 2 miracles, corroborated by independent medical professionals. Ultimately, God decides sainthood; not us.
This is stupid. Parents, instead of praying to GOD, who does miracles, pray to a man to ask him to pray to God. The baby lives. Instead of crediting God who gives life, they credit the man with a miracle.
If Mr. Sheen isn’t a saint at death, there is nothing that can make him one now - even falsely attributed miracles.
We shall see.
Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Sheen, Pray For Us.
Dear friend, there is nothing stupid about this. ALL credit goes to God for any miracle!! In tines of trouble, we pray with saints, not to them. Have you ever asked anyone to pray for you when you were having a hard time? Why did you choose to ask that person? Since saints led holy lives and are close to God in heaven, we feel that their prayers are particularly effective.
If Mr. Sheen isn’t a saint at death, there is nothing that can make him one now - even falsely attributed miracles.
The word saint literally means "holy," and, in the New Testament, saint referred to all who believed in Jesus Christ and followed his teachings.
Very early on, however, the meaning of the word began to change. As Christianity began to spread, it became clear that some Christians lived lives of extraordinary, or heroic, virtue. While other Christians struggled to live out the gospel of Christ, these people were eminent examples of the moral virtues, and they easily practiced the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.
The word saint thus became more narrowly applied to such people, who were venerated after their deaths as saints, usually by the members of their local church or the Christians in the region where they had lived, because they were familiar with their good deeds. Eventually, the Catholic Church created a process, called "canonization," through which such venerable people could be recognized as saints by all Christians everywhere.
Most of the saints whom we refer to by that title (for instance, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton) have gone through this process of canonization. Others, such as Saint Peter and Saint Paul, received the title through acclamation, or the universal recognition of their holiness.
Catholics believe that both types of saints (canonized and acclaimed) are already in Heaven, which is why one of the requirements for the canonization process is proof of miracles performed by the possible saint after his death. Canonized saints can be venerated anywhere and prayed to publicly, and their lives are held up to Christians still struggling here on earth as examples to be imitated.
Archbishop Sheen was truly ahead of his time when it came to communications. I think I have read that he received an Emmy Award for his tv show and thanked the four Gospel writers.
“Dear friend, there is nothing stupid about this.”
Actually, there is lots wrong with this.
“ALL credit goes to God for any miracle!!”
Actually, the article credits Sheen. Even worse, it credits him to indicate he was a saint. No miracles are required by God. Every Christian is called a saint by Him.
“In times of trouble, we pray with saints, not to them. Have you ever asked anyone to pray for you when you were having a hard time?”
Yes, I certainly do. They can hear me.
“Why did you choose to ask that person?”
They know the Lord and I know they will pray. Of course, you don’t know if any departed saint can hear you or that they will pray.
“Since saints led holy lives and are close to God in heaven, we feel that their prayers are particularly effective.”
Which is another silly part of this. Instead of believing God who tells Christians to approach His throne with BOLDNESS, people believe someone departed is closer to God and has “pull” that they do not have. False.
“Very early on, however, the meaning of the word began to change.”
God never changed His proclamation that every Christian is a saint.
“The word saint thus became more narrowly applied to such people, who were venerated after their deaths as saints, usually by the members of their local church or the Christians in the region where they had lived, because they were familiar with their good deeds.”
Which is why it is a distortion of God’s truth.
“Eventually, the Catholic Church created a process, called “canonization,” through which such venerable people could be recognized as saints by all Christians everywhere. “
Which is even worse - to perpetuate a falsehood.
“Catholics believe that both types of saints (canonized and acclaimed) are already in Heaven, which is why one of the requirements for the canonization process is proof of miracles performed by the possible saint after his death.”
Back to stupid, since there is no evidence that a prayer was heard, or that the saint intervened, or that it can be credited to that person.
From start to finish, it is a falsehood perpetuated.
Evidence please.
Sad that your religion has no saints....very sad.
“Sad that your religion has no saints....very sad.”
You did not read correctly. Christianity (”my religion”) is comprised of ALL saints. Every single individual, from the moment they entrust themselves to Christ for salvation, are declared saints by God, according to His Word.
The better question is why “your religion” has so few...???
Do you REALLY believe that ALL people that have been baptized go to HEAVEN??? REALLY??? You don’t read your Bible very well if that’s what you think. Are you a Mormon??
Hope you are getting that evidence about Bishop Sheen.....waiting.
Where is that in the Bible that all men are saints.
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