Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen to Be Beatified September 24
One of the most recognizable Catholic voices of the 20th century will soon be declared Blessed.
Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified on Thursday, September 24, 2026, during a Mass at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The Mass begins at 2 p.m. Central Time — 3 p.m. Eastern Time and will be available for Catholics in the Diocese of Norwich and around the world to watch live.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will preside at the Beatification Mass as the representative of Pope Leo XIV. Organizers are expecting nearly 45,000 pilgrims from 48 states and 12 countries, along with more than 80 bishops and hundreds of priests, for what will be a historic celebration for the Catholic Church in the United States.
Born in Illinois in 1895, Fulton Sheen became one of the Church’s great missionaries and communicators. Through radio, television, books, preaching and his service as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, he brought the message of Jesus Christ to millions. His television program, Life Is Worth Living, made him a familiar presence in American homes well beyond the Catholic community.
Sheen was also deeply committed to the Church’s missionary work. His famous observation that “the world is my parish” captured his conviction that evangelization was not limited by parish or diocesan boundaries. His missionary spirit remains especially relevant today as the Church continues to call every Catholic to become a witness to Christ.
Beatification is an important step in the Church’s process of canonization. Following the September 24 Mass, the Church will formally honor him as Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, permitting public devotion to him according to the norms established by the Church. The Diocese of Peoria, where Sheen was born, ordained and first served as a priest, has been overseeing his cause.
Watch the Beatification Mass Live
Those unable to travel to St. Louis can take part from home. The Beatification Mass will be broadcast and livestreamed on several platforms:
The celebration also includes opportunities for prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation and veneration of a relic of Archbishop Sheen.
For those watching from Connecticut, the Beatification Mass begins at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, September 24.
Learn. Pray. Be inspired. Join Catholics around the world in celebrating the beatification of one of America’s great Catholic evangelists — Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.