At the Beatification of America’s Own Fulton Sheen

Today, September 24, the Catholic Church for the first time recognized an American bishop as a “blessed,” one step from the official title of “saint.” Fulton J. Sheen was an archbishop, a best-selling author, an Emmy-winning TV and radio star, but his greatest achievement was his exceptional holiness and zeal for the Gospel.

https://t.co/b5AIqY5SdG

— Bishop Fulton Sheen (@Bishop_Sheen) September 24, 2026

Sheen was a versatile speaker and writer on topics ranging from the Bible to Communism to modern psychology to marital counseling to American history to the late-20th-century crisis of faith in the West. Charming, brilliant, zealous, generous, witty, compassionate, and with a flair for the dramatic, he inspired parishioners and media audiences alike. He led a revival among Catholics in the mid-1900s, but also impressed non-Catholics, as evidenced by the 1953 Emmy he humorously accepted by saying, “I’d like to thank my writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.” As someone who has been praying to him for years, I feel very blessed to be at Sheen’s beatification Mass.

As the 1953 award category labeled him, Fulton Sheen was indeed an “outstanding personality.” He was unforgettably unique, and he impacted millions of people. Now he will continue to impact millions more in the years ahead thanks to the Church bestowing the title “blessed” on him. As James 5:16 reminds us, Christians should pray for each other because the prayer of a just man availeth much. America needs the example and intercession of Fulton Sheen amid our political, moral, and cultural crises.

At the beatification of Fulton Sheen in St. Louis! I’ve been praying to him for years ❤️🙏 https://t.co/oRwRQOl7eY

— Catherine Salgado (@CatSalgado32) September 24, 2026

For Our VIPs: America’s New Blessed, Fulton Sheen, Was a Great Preacher Against Communism

Thousands of priests and religious, along with tens of thousands of laymen, gathered today in the Dome in St. Louis, Mo., to honor Sheen. Indeed, at this moment, I can still see a long line of white-robed priests processing past. Only during the America 250 events in Philadelphia and Mount Vernon have I ever noticed such a universal feeling of cordial good fellowship and happy unity.

No matter the length of the lines, the venue’s increasing lack of foodstuffs, or the length of the Mass, practically everyone was beaming with happiness and excitement, even the children. A family from Illinois I had never met before rearranged their seating so that I could have a better view. A couple from Indiana ahead of me in line at the coffee bar bought me a drink just because. An exhibitor stepped away from his booth to pray over me and ask God to bless my absent family. Everyone in the confession line or the makeshift adoration chapel seemed to be going out of their way to be polite to one other.

Fulton Sheen brought people together and inspired them to become better citizens and better followers of Christ. His beatification ceremonies accomplished exactly the same thing. He was there in spirit, calling not only those present but also those across America to a revival of faith and freedom.

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