Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? This is one of the most popular quotes from Archbishop Fulton Sheen, an American catholic bishop who is known for his television and radio preaching. Regarded as the first televangelist ever, his show was able to reach up to 30 million viewers.
Sheen was born Fulton John Sheen in May 1895 in Illinois, Chicago. In Peoria, Illinois he served as an altar boy and years later he would be ordained into priesthood there. He attended local schools for his basic education then proceeded to Catholic University of America to further his studies in Philosophy.
Later, Sheen proceeded to the Catholic University of American in Washington to study Philosophy. He got a doctorate in Philosophy at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. It was during his stay that he was awarded the Cardinal Mercier prize, an award that rewards recipients for their contribution to Philosophy. Later, he left to begin service as a bishop in New York.
Media evangelism was begun by Fulton in 1930. His first program was a weekly radio broadcast on Sundays called Catholic Hour. This was during the era of World War II and he used this platform to condemn the war. In addition, the first ever mass to be conducted on mass media was conducted by him around this time. He was awarded an Emmy from the popularity of his television program among viewers.
Archbishop Fulton was not short of controversy. Perhaps the most remembered broadcast was in 1953 where he publicly denounced the regime of Joseph Stalin. Dramatically, he used the burial scene from Julius Caesar from Shakespeare to predict doom to Stalin and other Soviet leaders of the time. His last words were that Stalin should one day face his judgment. True to his word, Stalin died within the week from stroke.
A cardiac condition claimed the life of Fulton in 1979. The remains were buried in a crypt in New York at St. Patricks cathedral where he served. In 2002, his cause for canonization was begun and resulted in servant of God title for him. Ten years later, his journey toward beatification was started by approval of the Vatican through granting him the title of Venerable.
To be considered for beatification, one has to have performed a miracle. The miracle needs to be something that nature or science cannot explain. For Archbishop Fulton, he was prayed to by the mother of an infant who had been declared still born after lack of a pulse for around one hour. The boy survived without any physical or mental problems. A team of Vatican medical experts have proved that this was indeed a miracle, since there was no medical explanation for it. The decision to give Sheen the title blessed is in the final stages.
Another similar miracle is necessary for him to be canonized as a saint. The process of beatification and canonization of Sheen has however been stopped indefinitely. This is because his remains have to be transported to his home church in Peoria. It is the hope of all his fans that the man who brought Catholicism to the living rooms of so many American homes is eventually canonized.
Sheen was born Fulton John Sheen in May 1895 in Illinois, Chicago. In Peoria, Illinois he served as an altar boy and years later he would be ordained into priesthood there. He attended local schools for his basic education then proceeded to Catholic University of America to further his studies in Philosophy.
Later, Sheen proceeded to the Catholic University of American in Washington to study Philosophy. He got a doctorate in Philosophy at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. It was during his stay that he was awarded the Cardinal Mercier prize, an award that rewards recipients for their contribution to Philosophy. Later, he left to begin service as a bishop in New York.
Media evangelism was begun by Fulton in 1930. His first program was a weekly radio broadcast on Sundays called Catholic Hour. This was during the era of World War II and he used this platform to condemn the war. In addition, the first ever mass to be conducted on mass media was conducted by him around this time. He was awarded an Emmy from the popularity of his television program among viewers.
Archbishop Fulton was not short of controversy. Perhaps the most remembered broadcast was in 1953 where he publicly denounced the regime of Joseph Stalin. Dramatically, he used the burial scene from Julius Caesar from Shakespeare to predict doom to Stalin and other Soviet leaders of the time. His last words were that Stalin should one day face his judgment. True to his word, Stalin died within the week from stroke.
A cardiac condition claimed the life of Fulton in 1979. The remains were buried in a crypt in New York at St. Patricks cathedral where he served. In 2002, his cause for canonization was begun and resulted in servant of God title for him. Ten years later, his journey toward beatification was started by approval of the Vatican through granting him the title of Venerable.
To be considered for beatification, one has to have performed a miracle. The miracle needs to be something that nature or science cannot explain. For Archbishop Fulton, he was prayed to by the mother of an infant who had been declared still born after lack of a pulse for around one hour. The boy survived without any physical or mental problems. A team of Vatican medical experts have proved that this was indeed a miracle, since there was no medical explanation for it. The decision to give Sheen the title blessed is in the final stages.
Another similar miracle is necessary for him to be canonized as a saint. The process of beatification and canonization of Sheen has however been stopped indefinitely. This is because his remains have to be transported to his home church in Peoria. It is the hope of all his fans that the man who brought Catholicism to the living rooms of so many American homes is eventually canonized.
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