From Your Parish Priest – 26th September 2026
On Thursday, as a Church, we witnessed the joyful celebration of the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. By declaring him Blessed, the Church holds him before us as an example of holiness, inviting us to imitate his virtues and ask for his prayers. Beatification is a step towards canonisation, when the Church would formally recognise him as a saint.
Many of us will know Fulton Sheen for his remarkable gift for communicating the faith in an attractive and accessible manner. An American Archbishop based in, he became widely known through his radio and television programmes, which he used to teach the Catholic faith and explain the teachings of the Church. Blessed Fulton Sheen was a major media personality. At its height, his television programme reached an estimated 30 million viewers, more than any podcast today. He appeared on the cover of Time magazine and won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality.
Today, Blessed Fulton Sheen remains one of the most popular Catholic voices in the Church. His books, retreats, videos and other catechetical works continue to reach people, particularly young people and converts. His popularity was very visible on Thursday. Around 50,000 people gathered for his beatification, along with 89 bishops, 1,000 priests, 850 seminarians and 260 deacons. The opening procession of the Mass alone took nearly 40 minutes.
The question is what made him so compelling in his own day, and why does he still speak to people today, especially the young and those coming into the Church? At the heart of Blessed Fulton’s mission was the communication of the truth. We all know how easy it can be to put someone off when trying to explain something difficult, particularly if we are unclear or appear condescending. Blessed Sheen could communicate the rich and sometimes difficult truths of the Catholic faith fully, yet simply and clearly. He did not water down challenging teachings, but spoke the truth with compassion and love.
Alongside his clarity, compassion and ability to explain difficult subjects simply, Blessed Fulton was never afraid to confront injustice or challenge those whose words and actions were contrary to the teachings of Christ and His Church. For example, we might think of the recent attempts in Parliament to legalise assisted suicide, or of prominent Catholics in public life, celebrities and politicians who receive Holy Communion while openly dissenting from Church teaching. These are difficult matters, but they remind us why it is important to speak the truth with both clarity and charity.
I have been thinking about what we can take away from his beatification, and I keep coming back to the importance of speaking the truth. All too often, people in the Church are reluctant to do so. At times we are told that speaking the truth is offensive or, when it comes to the Gospel and the teachings of the Church, old fashioned. Is it any wonder that the number of people going to church has dwindled in recent decades? When we fail to speak the truth, we fail to show the world the reality of Christ and His Gospel. If we are unwilling to speak it, even when it is difficult, how can we hope to inspire those to whom we are called to bear witness? Blessed Fulton shows us that it is possible to speak the truth humbly, gently and kindly, in a way that speaks to their hearts.
I believe there are two great lessons we can learn from Blessed Fulton. First, if we speak the truth openly and sincerely, we might be surprised by how well people receive it. Second, we can only speak with confidence if we take the time to know our faith and deepen our understanding of it. I encourage you to read, watch and ask for recommendations. There is a great wealth of solid Catholic catechesis available. If we want to speak with the confidence of Blessed Fulton, we must truly know our faith and, above all, love our faith.
Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen, pray for us.
God bless, Fr Hilton