With his beatification swiftly approaching on September 24th in St. Louis, it’s a good time to get to know more about who Venerable Fulton J. Sheen was, what he accomplished, and the miracle that was attributed to his intercession.  

1. He was assigned to academic ministry after being ordained a priest on September 20, 1919. Once finished with his studies in Europe, he served his home diocese of Peoria, Illinois out of obedience to his bishop. One year later, he became a professor at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and taught for 25 years. During that time, he published more than half of his 73 books.  
2. He spoke boldly as host of a radio broadcast and television program. Broadcast nationally from New York, “The Catholic Hour” made Sheen a household name, known for speaking out on world issues, especially the threat of communism. After being ordained an auxiliary bishop for New York, his Tuesday evening TV program, “Life Is Worth Living” aimed truths at tens of millions of viewers, and earned him an Emmy award for best television personality.  
3. His heart of the Church’s mission was obvious to all he met. He served as the national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1950-1966. The society, staffed by many women who worked hard to respond daily to donors, coordinates World Mission Sunday, the annual worldwide day of giving that supports the Church’s work in more than 1,100 mission territories. Sheen would travel, preach, and work as editor of MISSION magazine, all of which allowed him to evangelize.  
4. He was devoted to the Eucharist. Sheen once said, “the greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white host.” From his desk, he could see the tabernacle, and once a day, he would spend an hour praying in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.  
5. A baby boy’s life is the miracle that allowed his beatification to be possible. In 2010, a baby was born without a heartbeat. His parents fervently asked for the intercession of the baby’s namesake, Fulton Sheen, and after sixty-one long minutes, James Fulton’s heart began to beat. In 2014, medical experts and theological advisors to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints unanimously approved the miracle. Pope Francis approved the miracle in 2019.  

 

Read the full story of the miracle by Bonnie Engstrom, as she recalls the day her son was born, in 61 Minutes to a Miracle.