Vatican City: The Catholic Church has announced that Fulton J. Sheen, the renowned American archbishop celebrated for his powerful preaching and media evangelization, will be beatified on September 24, 2026, during a solemn Mass in St. Louis.
The liturgical celebration will be presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who will represent Pope Leo XIV at the ceremony. The announcement was confirmed by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the body responsible for overseeing canonization processes.
The path to beatification for Archbishop Sheen has spanned several decades. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially declared him “Venerable” after recognizing his life of heroic virtue. Later, in 2019, Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to Sheen’s intercession, thereby clearing the way for his elevation to the title of “Blessed.”
Born on May 8, 1895, in El Paso to an Irish-American family, Sheen discerned his vocation to the priesthood in his early twenties and was ordained in 1919. His academic journey took him through prestigious institutions, including the Catholic University of America, the Catholic University of Leuven, and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Returning to the United States in 1926, Sheen began a distinguished teaching career at the Catholic University of America, where he served for nearly a quarter-century. He later shepherded the Diocese of Rochester as bishop from 1951 to 1969, before being appointed Titular Archbishop of Newport by Pope Paul VI.
Archbishop Sheen rose to international prominence through his pioneering use of mass media. His radio program, The Catholic Hour, launched in 1930, reached millions of listeners each week. He later became a household name through his television series Life is Worth Living, which captivated an audience of nearly 30 million viewers at its peak.
Widely admired for his eloquence, intellectual depth, and ability to communicate complex theological ideas in a compelling manner, Sheen remains one of the most influential Catholic communicators of the 20th century.
He passed away on December 9, 1979, in New York at the age of 84. His upcoming beatification marks a significant moment for the Church, especially in the United States, as it recognizes a figure whose legacy continues to inspire generations in faith, media, and evangelization.