On 24 September 2026, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen will be declared Blessed during a mass presided over by Cardinal Tagle and celebrated at The Dome at America’s Center in St Louis, Missouri, in the United States.
Bishop Fulton Sheen was a pioneer in the field of evangelisation through Catholic radio and television broadcasts. His best-known programme was undoubtedly Life Is Worth Living, which was broadcast on television between 1952 and 1957—a programme that reached more than 30 million viewers each week.
Through the work of this charismatic bishop, thousands of people found renewed consolation in the Christian faith, and he worked tirelessly to raise funds in support of various missionary endeavours around the world. In 1953, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Personality, at a time when entertainment was already a powerful force. With his trademark sense of humour, Sheen would thank Mark, Matthew, Luke and John as the principal authors of his content.
Sheen had a deep devotion towards Mary, so much so that his episcopal motto was the prayer Da per matrem me venire—“Grant that I may come [to You] through the mother [Mary]”. He would often refer to Mary as “Our Lady of Television”, or as the lens through which we can glimpse the greatness and beauty of the Lord.