Photo credit – wikicommons
By John Petty, Catholic Editor
The Vatican has recently announced the advancement of Venerable Fulton Sheen’s Beatification process. Very soon, Fulton Sheen will be designated as a “Blessed,” one step closer to sainthood.
Fulton J. Sheen was the Bishop of Rochester, and a well-known American Catholic prelate. He is well-known for his “Life is Worth Living” television program, where he would discuss theological, societal and philosophical questions in relation to Catholic teaching. His ornate and charismatic preaching style found appreciation among many American Catholics. He would later be awarded an Emmy for his prominent media presence.
Sheen lived during a time of significant technological and societal change. The proliferation of nuclear weapons, the beginning of the Sexual Revolution as well as an increasingly secularized culture were some of these notable events. Sheen’s administration as Bishop of Rochester also coincided with the sessions of the Second Vatican Council, which Sheen himself attended. Decades after Sheen’s death, clips of his television broadcast are still widely circulated on the internet, and continue to gain admiration from many Christians all over the world.
TinySaint of Venerable Fulton Sheen – Photo by John Petty
“I don’t know a lot about Fulton Sheen, but I have watched a lot of his YouTube clips,” junior Maximillian Glanzer said.
Student Mark Musgrave shared a meaningful quote from Sheen, “As all men are touched by God’s love, so all are touched by the desire for His intimacy.”
In the Roman Catholic Church, in order for one to be officially recognized as a Saint, two miracles must be attributed to that person. Furthermore, the process of verifying such miracles is quite stringent.
In the case of Sheen, an infant was born without a pulse, and remained in such a condition for a little over an hour. However, attributed to Sheen’s intercession, the boy’s pulse came back. Pope Francis, after the appropriate investigations concluded, approved the recognition of the miracle.
Designation as a Saint by the Catholic Church conveys that one is definitively in heaven. For one to be recognized as a Saint, one must first be approved as a Servant of God, then Venerable, Blessed and finally a Saint. Sheen remains one miracle away from being officially listed as a Saint.
The Vatican is expected to announce a date for the Beatification ceremony soon.
The Saint 