Vatican Approves Beatification for Archbishop Fulton Sheen; September Mass Expected

Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria announced on Monday that the Vatican has approved the beatification of American Archbishop Fulton Sheen. This approval allows for a beatification Mass, which sources indicate is likely to occur in September, potentially outside of Peoria, where Sheen was ordained and his canonization cause was initiated.

Bishop Tylka stated that the Holy See informed him the Cause for Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen can proceed to Beatification, at which point Sheen would be declared Blessed.

"Archbishop Sheen was a significant voice of evangelization in the 20th century, noting his lifelong commitment to the Church, his devotion, and his ability to connect with people."
— Bishop Louis Tylka

Background on Previous Delays

This announcement follows a previous delay in December 2019, when a scheduled beatification was postponed. The delay occurred after Rochester Bishop Salvatore Matano requested it due to concerns that Sheen, who served as Rochester's diocesan bishop from 1966 to 1969, might be associated with mishandling sexual abuse cases.

Specific concerns included the case of Gerard Guli, a former Rochester priest accused of abusing adults in the early 1960s. Documents from the Diocese of Peoria indicated that Sheen did not assign Guli to ministry, but Sheen’s successor, Bishop Joseph Hogan, did. Guli was arrested in 1989 for abuse involving an elderly woman and subsequently laicized.

"The Pillar confirmed that no allegations were filed against Sheen during New York's Child Victims Act litigation window, which is now closed. Additionally, sources close to a 2018 attorney general's probe into abuse handling in New York dioceses stated there are no new or unresolved allegations against Sheen in those files."

The resolution of Rochester's bankruptcy proceedings and a September 2025 settlement approval were cited as final factors preceding the Vatican's renewed progression of Sheen's beatification.

Sheen's Life and Approved Miracle

Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to Sheen in July 2019. This miracle involved the unexpected recovery of a stillborn baby in 2010, whose revival was attributed by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to prayers for Sheen's intercession.

Sheen, ordained in 1919, served as a professor at The Catholic University of America, hosted "The Catholic Hour" on NBC Radio from 1930 to 1950, and later "Life is Worth Living" and "The Fulton Sheen Program" on television, for which he won an Emmy. He was an auxiliary bishop in New York, then Bishop of Rochester, and later a titular archbishop. He died in 1979, and his remains were moved to Peoria after a legal dispute. The Diocese of Peoria opened his canonization cause in 2002.

Beatification Logistics

Bishop Tylka's staff is collaborating with the Dicastery of the Causes of Saints to finalize the date and location for the beatification. A September date is generally anticipated. The location will be chosen considering the expected number of pilgrims, which could be substantial given Sheen's national prominence. Previous beatifications have drawn tens of thousands, leading to speculation that larger venues in cities like St. Louis, Missouri, might be considered to accommodate attendees.