More than 50,000 Catholics filled the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis on Thursday for a historic beatification ceremony. The event marked the first step toward sainthood for Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a beloved mid‑century radio and television evangelist whose plain‑spoken preaching reached millions of American homes.
Local families witness a miracle‑linked ceremony
The ceremony began with a solemn procession of bishops, priests and religious orders, followed by a full‑length Mass celebrated by Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, the Vatican’s top evangelization official. Tagle delivered greetings from Pope Leo XIV, calling Sheen a “fellow Illinoisan” and a model for evangelization.
At the heart of the service was a teenage boy, James Fulton Engstrom, who carried an ornate reliquary containing Sheen’s relics. James’s own life was touched by what the Church has declared a miracle: after being born at home in September 2010 without a pulse, he was revived in the hospital when doctors were about to pronounce him dead. His mother, Bonnie Engstrom, said she prayed to Sheen throughout her pregnancy, believing his intercession saved her son.
Why the beatification matters
According to Vatican protocol, a single verified miracle is required for beatification, the step that confers the title “Blessed.” The Church’s investigation concluded that James’s recovery was attributable to Sheen’s prayers, paving the way for the ceremony.
Beatification does not yet make Sheen a saint; a second miracle would be needed for canonization. Monsignor Jason Gray, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation, noted that six additional cases are under review, suggesting a possible path to full sainthood in the near future.
Sheen’s lasting influence
Born in 1895 in El Paso, Illinois, and raised in Peoria, Sheen earned a doctorate in philosophy before becoming a professor at The Catholic University of America. He rose to national prominence in the 1950s with the Emmy‑winning television program “Life is Worth Living,” where he taught moral and religious lessons from a chalkboard, reaching audiences far beyond the Catholic Church.
Sheen’s legacy includes appearances on the cover of Time magazine, meetings with several popes, and participation in the Second Vatican Council. He was also an outspoken critic of communism and a vocal opponent of the Vietnam War, reflecting his willingness to speak on moral issues of his day.
Community response and future hopes
Attendees ranged from elderly worshippers who remembered watching Sheen on TV to young families and college students discovering his teachings for the first time. “There’s a revival in the American Church,” said Joseph Punswick, a seminarian from the Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas. “Having an American beatified man is amazing to see.”
Local clergy see the event as a catalyst for renewed evangelization in the Midwest. Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria expressed confidence that the path to canonization could be shorter now that an Illinois‑born pope is aware of Sheen’s impact.
The ceremony was livestreamed worldwide, and social‑media participants used the hashtag #celebratesheen, underscoring the blend of traditional worship and modern technology.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
