About Fulton J. Sheen

American religious leader, evangelist, writer, Roman Catholic priest, and radio and television personality.

Perhaps no other prelate in the history of the United States could rival the positive impact of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen upon the work of evangelization. Sheen authored sixty best-selling books in his lifetime, and he captivated millions of Americans through his newspaper columns and broadcasts on radio and television in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. When he emerged as television’s very first popular religious communicator, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, tuned in to his programming each week. This beloved and influential figure became well-known for his tremendous faith, wisdom, humor, and goodness. His message was both simple and profound: Jesus Christ must be at the center of everything. 

Fulton J. Sheen: The Communicator | Film Trailer (2:50)

Fulton J. Sheen, born May 8, 1895 in El Paso, Illinois was raised and educated in the Roman Catholic faith. Sheen’s profound love for the Eucharist manifested itself at an early age as a desire for future priestly ordination. When he received his First Communion at the age of twelve, he prayed for the gift of the priesthood. The fact that a strong desire for the priesthood was enkindled within him in the context of his First Communion was no coincidence, since the ultimate purpose of the priesthood is to be able to celebrate the Eucharist, the re-presentation in space and time of Jesus’ sacrifice ordered to the Father for the forgiveness of our sins. He was not content simply to receive the Eucharist; he wanted to be able actually to bring it about through the power of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He understood that the Eucharist was at the heart of the Church in general, and the priesthood in particular. Agreeing with St. Thomas Aquinas, Sheen reflected that “All the priest’s powers over the Mystical Body of Christ derive from his power over the True Body of Christ or the Eucharist.” Over the course of many dedicated, steadfast years, he was ordained a priest of the diocese of Peoria at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria, IL on Sept 20, 1919.

Following his ordination, Sheen moved overseas to further his education and earned a doctorate in Philosophy from The Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium in 1923. That same year, he received the Cardinal Mercier Prize for International Philosophy, becoming the first-ever American to earn this distinction. Upon returning to America after varied and extensive work throughout Europe, Sheen continued to preach, as well as teach theology and philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.

During the 1930s and 1940s, millions listened to Sheen’s weekly radio teachings on The Catholic Hour. He became famous for converting people from every walk of life. He was convinced that people were attracted to the Church because they were tired of the world’s excuses for all the right and wrong that is in the world. But most of all they were convinced that the Church was better than any other path to the forgiveness of their sins. When working with converts he chose never to attack the religion from which they were coming, and he advised others to do likewise. 

In 1950, Pope Pius XII appointed Sheen as the national director of the American branch of the Society for the Propagation of Faith. For three decades, he used this platform to evangelize thousands and raised millions of dollars to serve the needs of the poor and marginalized throughout the world. In 1951, Sheen was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdioceses of New York, the same year he started Life is Worth Living. In 1953, he won the Emmy for Most Outstanding Television Personality. When he accepted the award, he said, “I feel it’s time I paid tribute to my writers―Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.” The program ran until 1957 and attracted about 30 million viewers. On that show the bishop, often speaking without a script and appearing at his characteristic chalkboard, discussed practical matters of faith and sharply criticized communism.

Bishop Sheen hosted another television series, The Fulton Sheen Program, running from 1961 to 1968 that closely modeled the Life is Worth Living. In the fall of 1966, Sheen moved to New York’s upstate, where he was appointed Bishop of Rochester and would serve for nearly three years.

Practical Evangelization Tips from Fulton Sheen (6:29)

Eventually, Sheen resigned and was appointed the Archbishop of Titular See of Newport Wales by Pope Paul VI. This new appointment allowed Sheen the flexibility to continue preaching. 

Throughout his priesthood, Sheen made the Holy Eucharist the centerpiece of his life and source of his apostolic and evangelical zeal by promising the Lord that he would make a Eucharistic Holy Hour every day of his priestly life. Not a single day of his priestly ministry went by without him making his Holy Hour, which at times required heroic virtue because of his frequent travels and speaking engagements. 

In his last years, Sheen continued to write and preach as health and energy allowed. One late afternoon in December of 1979, at the age of 84, he was discovered dead in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in his private chapel. The cause for his canonization was opened in 2002. Fulton Sheen’s official title at this time is Venerable, a fitting honor for the man who had vigorously preached, “If you want to know about God, there is only one way to do it: get down on your knees.”

The Deep Prayer Life of Fulton Sheen (8:02)

Prayer for Canonization of Fulton Sheen

Heavenly Father, source of all holiness, You raise up within the Church in every age men and women who serve with heroic love and dedication. You have blessed Your Church through the life and ministry of Your faithful servant, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. He has written and spoken well of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and was a true instrument of the Holy Spirit in touching the hearts of countless people. If it be according to Your Will, for the honor and glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for the salvation of souls, we ask You to move the Church to proclaim him a saint. We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

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