The Holy See has officially communicated to Bishop Louis Tylka, of the Diocese of Peoria (United States), that the cause of the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen can proceed to the beatification stage, which will allow the celebration of the rite in which he would be declared Blessed in the near future, according to EWTN News.
Bishop Tylka explained that this step represents the culmination of a long canonical process and emphasized the relevance of Fulton Sheen as one of the most influential figures in Catholic evangelization of the 20th century, highlighting his priestly and episcopal service, deeply marked by devotion to the Eucharist and to the Virgin Mary.
A Communicator of the Gospel in His Time
Throughout his life, Fulton Sheen distinguished himself by his ability to proclaim the Gospel in an accessible and direct way, managing to connect with people from different contexts and attract many to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. This evangelizing facet was manifested especially in his work in radio and television, fields in which he was a pioneer within the Church.
From 1952 to 1957, he presented the television program Life Is Worth Living, which reached millions of viewers and addressed moral and religious issues from a Catholic perspective, becoming an unusual media phenomenon for its time.
A Ministry in Service to the Universal Church
In his later years, and particularly through his work in favor of missions, Archbishop Sheen insisted on the universal dimension of the Church and on the responsibility of Catholics to serve all, especially those in situations of need or seeking to know the Christian message.
Bishop Tylka noted that the future beatification would be a reason for special joy for the Church in the United States, where Fulton Sheen developed much of his ministry and left a profound pastoral and evangelizing mark.
Biographical Data
Peter John Sheen was born in El Paso, Illinois, on May 8, 1895, and received the name Fulton in honor of his mother’s maiden name. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria on September 20, 1919. In 1951, he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of New York, a position he held until 1966, when he was appointed bishop of Rochester. He retired in 1969 and died on December 9, 1979, the feast day of St. Juan Diego.
A Long and Complex Process
The canonization cause of Fulton Sheen was officially opened in 2002, and in 2012 Pope Benedict XVI declared him Venerable. In 2014, the medical and theological experts of the then competent Vatican body approved a presumed miracle attributed to his intercession: the inexplicable recovery of a child who had been born lifeless after his parents’ prayers.
However, the process suffered various interruptions and delays, including a prolonged legal dispute over the place of burial of his remains, which was not resolved until 2019, when they were transferred to St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria. That same year, Pope Francis formally approved the miracle.
The beatification scheduled for December 2019 was subsequently postponed to allow for a broader examination of his life and some issues raised in the context of investigations into abuses in the United States. The Diocese of Peoria then stated that the exemplary conduct and virtuous life of Archbishop Sheen had been conclusively demonstrated.
Awaiting Beatification
Currently, the Diocese of Peoria is working with the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to finalize the details of the future beatification. Despite the difficulties and delays, the cause has continued to advance, and Bishop Tylka recently reiterated his intention to continue promoting the process before Pope Leo XIV.