Fulton Sheen Beatification Set for Sept. 24

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, born in Illinois in 1895, became a priest, theologian, author and pioneering Catholic broadcaster whose radio and television programs brought Catholic teaching to a national audience. Ordained in 1919, he pursued advanced studies in theology and philosophy before teaching at The Catholic University of America and appearing on NBC’s “The Catholic Hour” and the television program “Life Is Worth Living.” Sheen’s influence extended beyond broadcasting through his writing, missionary rosary and enduring emphasis on evangelization. Central to his life was a daily Holy Hour, a commitment he made at ordination and maintained through illness, distraction and other hardships. Supporters regard that devotion, along with his faith, intellectual gifts and integrity, as evidence of the heroic virtue recognized by the Catholic Church in his beatification cause. He died during a Holy Hour in 1979, and his example continues to inspire Catholics who see him as a model of a life fully devoted to God and service.