Reflecting on the Beatification Mass for Blessed Fulton J. Sheen
Cardinal Luis Tagle, Pro-Perfect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, presided over the Mass for the formal beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on September 24, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
The celebration brought together hundreds of clergy, including dozens of bishops and cardinals, hundreds of seminarians, an estimated 1,600 men and women religious and nearly 250 deacons.
According to the organizers, around 50,000 people attended the celebration. Among them were a busload of parishioners from Terre Haute. I was grateful to be there with them.
What struck me most was the number of young families and children who came to participate in this historic celebration. Their presence gave the gathering a beautiful sense of hope and a living faith being passed on to a new generation.
In his homily, Cardinal Tagle said:
“We thank our loving God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – who has gathered us as a family of faith on the solemn occasion of the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, son of Illinois, son of the United States of America, indeed, son of the world.”
The pilgrims responded with a resounding applause.
After the Mass, many people lined up for the opportunity to venerate a relic of Archbishop Sheen – the mandible, or jawbone.
For me, being part of this solemn celebration was especially meaningful. Growing up in the Philippines, I used to listen to Fulton Sheen’s radio broadcasts. I never imagined that many years later I would have the opportunity to be present at his beatification Mass.
It was beautiful moment of gratitude and a reminder of how God can use one person’s voice to touch hearts across generations and across the world.
