By Aaron Lambert
This month, a towering figure in American Catholicism whose intercession has been sought for several decades will take a crucial step toward canonization.
The beatification of Venerable Fulton Sheen on Sept. 24 in St. Louis is expected to draw tens of thousands of faithful from all around the country. His cause for canonization was opened 24 years ago in 2002, and indeed, the bestowment of the title of “Blessed” has been a long time coming for the prelate.
Archbishop Sheen’s rich legacy of faith is filled with many memorable accomplishments, the most notable of which was leveraging mainstream media to bring the truth, beauty and goodness of Catholicism to the masses. While regularly seeing a well-known Catholic on TV is practically unheard of today, there was a time in American history not so long ago when Archbishop Sheen dominated both radio and TV airwaves and could be seen in millions of living rooms across the nation every week. He truly was a gifted preacher, a fierce evangelist and arguably one of the most influential American Catholics of the 20th century.
Born in El Paso, Illinois, on May 8, 1895, young Fulton had a relatively humble upbringing living on a farm with his parents and three brothers. Even at a young age, Fulton showed promise; indeed, he seemed destined to be a priest. One time, at the age of 8, a young Sheen was serving as an altar boy for a Mass celebrated by Bishop John L. Spalding of Peoria, Illinois. At one point, he dropped a wine cruet, shattering it on the ground. After Mass, Bishop Spalding approached the frightened boy, but instead of reprimanding him, he gave him some kind encouragement and made two prophetic predictions about him: that he would someday study at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, and that he would one day be “just as I am.” Both would come true.
Sheen was ordained a priest in 1919 and through subsequent years of study at Catholic University of America and the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, he quickly became a renowned philosopher. He would go on to teach at several Catholic universities and was eventually consecrated a bishop in 1951. He served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of New York until 1966, when he was then appointed bishop of Rochester. He only served there for three years before his retirement in 1969. Despite his episcopal duties, he remained incredibly active in the wider Church throughout his episcopacy, gifting the world at large with his profound spiritual depth.
As a pastor, Archbishop Sheen was caring but firm in his approach, and his preaching resonated with Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He used the media of the time to spread the message and teachings of the Church, first via radio starting in 1930 and then through television starting in 1951. His weekly TV program, “Life is Worth Living”, became extremely popular, eventually drawing some 30 million viewers weekly and winning Archbishop Sheen an Emmy for Most Outstanding Personality.
From 1962 to 1965, Archbishop Sheen attended all the sessions of the Second Vatican Council, working closely with Father Joseph Ratzinger (the future Pope Benedict XVI) as a theological expert on the commission for mission. He would frequently travel around the country to give talks and share his spiritual wisdom with eager audiences; in 1979, he even visited San Francisco’s own Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption.
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen speaking at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco, courtesy of the archives of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
In addition to being a gifted speaker, Archbishop Sheen was also a prolific writer. He published more than 60 books in his lifetime, including the seminal “Life of Christ,” published in 1958. Even today, Archbishop Sheen’s books are frequently cited and referenced for their theological depth and keen insight into how the Church is a constant guiding light for the culture at large, no matter how dark it may seem. His words, both spoken and written, echo with hope and conviction.
There’s no way of knowing how many conversions were influenced by Archbishop Sheen, but based on his reach and impact, it’s very likely that an entire generation of Catholics learned something new about the faith from him and were drawn into a deeper relationship with Christ. Arguably no Catholic figure besides the Pope has had a greater influence on American Catholicism over the past century. As the Church prepares for Archbishop Sheen’s beatification, it can give thanks that this faithful son of the Church so boldly spoke the truth of the Gospel to a world that desperately needed it — and still does today.
Aaron Lambert is a writer from Denver.
This article is taken from the September 2026 issue of Catholic San Francisco magazine.
