Beatification of Fulton Sheen: A Day When There Were No Words, Just Pure Joy!

By Father Richard D. Breton Jr.
Diocesan Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies
Diocese of Norwich

Every once in a while, God allows us to experience a moment that touches the soul so deeply that words seem inadequate. The beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on September 24, 2026, was one of those moments for me. As I sat inside the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, surrounded by thousands of Catholics, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the gift of our Catholic Faith.

There were truly no words that could adequately describe the feeling of being Catholic that day. The emotion was so deep that tears came to my eyes, and when I tried to speak, I found myself choking up. It was not sadness, but an overwhelming mixture of joy, gratitude and awe. In that moment, I felt the beauty of the Church, the gift of my priesthood and the power of God’s grace in a way that I will never forget.

As I looked around the Dome, I saw approximately 1,300 priests, 299 deacons, 800 seminarians and 92 bishops gathered with thousands of religious sisters, missionaries, families and lay faithful. We came from many different dioceses and communities, but we were united as one family in Christ.

The sight of so many priests gathered around the altar was deeply moving. Even more encouraging was the presence of hundreds of seminarians—young men who have heard the call of Jesus and are preparing to give their lives in service to His Church. At a time when we so often hear discouraging news about declining vocations and empty churches, their presence offered a powerful sign of hope. Christ is still calling, and generous young men are still answering.

The Dome had welcomed St. John Paul II during his historic visit to St. Louis in 1999. Now it became the setting for another extraordinary moment in the life of the Catholic Church in America: the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

When the decree of beatification was proclaimed and the image of Blessed Fulton Sheen was revealed, applause thundered throughout the Dome. Bells rang, people cheered and tears filled many eyes. At that moment, I could no longer hold back my own tears. As a priest and as a director of the missions, I felt personally connected to the life and legacy of this great missionary bishop. I tried to take in everything happening around me, but the emotion caught in my throat. I could only remain silent and thank God for allowing me to be present.

One of the most emotional moments occurred when James Fulton Engstrom carried a relic of Archbishop Sheen down the aisle. James was the child whose miraculous recovery was attributed to Archbishop Sheen’s intercession.

In September 2010, James was born without signs of life. For 61 minutes, doctors and medical personnel attempted to revive him. His parents prayed repeatedly for the intercession of Fulton Sheen. Then, unexpectedly, the child’s heart began to beat. Despite the long period without a heartbeat, James survived and grew without the severe neurological damage that doctors would ordinarily have expected.

The Church carefully investigated this healing and eventually recognized it as the miracle that opened the way for Archbishop Sheen’s beatification.

To see James, now a healthy young man, carrying Blessed Fulton Sheen’s relic down the aisle was a moment I will never forget. He was living evidence of the power of prayer and a reminder that God continues to work miracles in our own time. As he walked forward, the entire story of faith, suffering, perseverance and divine grace seemed to be walking with him.

Once again, tears filled my eyes. Here before us was the young man whose life had become inseparably connected with Archbishop Sheen’s cause. He was not merely part of the ceremony; he was a living testimony to God’s mercy. In that sacred moment, it became almost impossible for me to speak. My heart understood something that words could not express.

Blessed Fulton Sheen was known throughout the world as a preacher, teacher, bishop and pioneer of Catholic radio and television. Through his program, Life Is Worth Living, he entered millions of American homes and spoke about the Catholic faith with clarity, intelligence, humor and courage.

Yet his effectiveness did not come simply from natural talent. It came from his intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Sheen made a daily Eucharistic Holy Hour throughout his priesthood. Before he spoke to the world about Christ, he first knelt before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

This celebration held special meaning for me as Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies for the Diocese of Norwich. From 1950 until 1966, Archbishop Sheen served as National Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. He traveled the world, supported missionaries and reminded American Catholics that we all share responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel.

Sheen understood that the Church does not merely have a mission. The Church is missionary. Every baptized Catholic is called to participate through prayer, sacrifice, generosity and the witness of a faithful life.

As I sat in the Dome, I thought about the faithful people of the Diocese of Norwich. I thought about our parishes, Catholic schools, seminarians and children. I prayed that the beatification of Fulton Sheen would awaken within all of us a renewed love for the Eucharist and a greater desire to share our Faith.

We live in a world that desperately needs to hear that life has meaning, that every person possesses dignity and that Jesus Christ has not abandoned us. Blessed Fulton Sheen proclaimed that message to the world, and now the responsibility belongs to us.

When I left the Dome, my heart was filled with gratitude—for my priesthood, for the Diocese of Norwich, for the Pontifical Mission Societies and for the gift of being Catholic. The tears that came to my eyes were themselves a prayer of thanksgiving.

There were no words to explain the emotion of that day. There was only gratitude, joy and a renewed conviction that Jesus Christ continues to guide His Church.

Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, missionary of the Gospel and faithful servant of Christ, pray for us!