Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Declared 'Blessed' at Mass in St. Louis, Missouri
- On Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, roughly 50,000 worshippers gathered at the Dome at America's Center in St. Louis for Archbishop Fulton Sheen's beatification, where Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle officially declared him 'Blessed Fulton Sheen.'
- The Vatican approved the beatification after attributing a miracle to Sheen's intercession: the 2010 resuscitation of James Fulton Engstrom, whose heart began beating when medical workers were about to declare him dead.
- During Thursday's service, 16-year-old James carried an ornate vessel containing relics of his namesake to the altar, participating alongside his parents and siblings as thousands celebrated the milestone.
- Church officials originally scheduled the beatification for 2019 but delayed the ceremony due to legal investigations regarding Sheen's oversight of priests in the Diocese of Rochester, though the Vatican later concluded his record gave no cause for further delay.
- Peoria Bishop Louis Tylka noted that church investigators are currently reviewing six additional potential miracles; a second verified miracle would qualify Blessed Fulton Sheen for full canonization, a process the bishop expects will be shorter than the beatification wait.
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27 Articles
Archbishop Lori rejoices at Fulton Sheen beatification
The archbishop was one of almost 90 bishops, some 1,000 priests, an estimated 1,600 men and women religious, and almost 250 deacons present for the beatification Mass. Many of the ministers wore vestments embroidered with “JMJ” in Archbishop Sheen’s signature script, the shorthand for “Jesus, Mary and Joseph” that he wrote at the top of his blackboard for every show.
Former Peru pastor remembered for ‘heroic’ work on Sheen cause
He logged many air miles, interviewed more than 100 witnesses, and labored wearily over documents to persuade the Vatican that Fulton Sheen deserves to be called a saint. Former Peru pastor Monsignor Richard Soseman did not, however, live to see Fulton Sheen beatified.
Fulton J. Sheen Officially Recognized as Blessed by the Catholic Church
Fulton J. Sheen, a renowned American bishop, has been proclaimed Blessed during a Mass in St. Louis, marking a significant step toward his potential canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church.
Beloved American Bishop Declared Blessed By Catholic Church As Part Of Path To Sainthood
Beloved American bishop Fulton J. Sheen was declared Blessed today at a Mass in St. Louis, advancing his cause in the Catholic Church’s process of canonization as a saint. Fulton John Sheen was born Peter John Sheen on May 8, 1895, in El Paso, Illinois. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria […]
Famed Radio and TV Priest Fulton Sheen Is Beatified in St. Louis, Putting Him a Step From Sainthood
ST. LOUIS (AP) — As tens of thousands of Catholic worshippers stood Thursday in a football stadium-turned-temporary cathedral, all eyes focused on a teenage boy walking solemnly toward the makeshift altar, accompanied by his parents and siblings. James Fulton Engstrom carried an ornate vessel containing the relics of his namesake, the man whom the Catholic Church credits with his miraculous survival as a newborn — Archbishop Fulton Sheen, who di…
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