The Vatican has formally confirmed that the cause for the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen may now move forward, bringing renewed hope to Catholics who have long awaited this milestone in his path toward sainthood.
According to EWTN News, the Holy See has officially informed Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, that the process may proceed to the celebration of beatification. This step would result in Sheen being declared Blessed by the Church.
“The next step in the process is the celebration of the beatification, in which Fulton Sheen would be declared Blessed,” Bishop Tylka said, according to EWTN News. He praised Sheen as “one of the greatest voices of evangelization in the Church and the world in the 20th century,” highlighting his priestly life as one deeply rooted in devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Eucharist.
Tylka emphasized that Sheen’s evangelization extended beyond his personal holiness to the countless people he reached. “His ability to share the Gospel and truly relate to people drew countless souls into an encounter with Jesus — one that transformed not only his life, but more importantly, the lives of those he touched,” he said, according to EWTN News.
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In reflecting on Sheen’s later years, Tylka noted the archbishop’s commitment to missionary work and the Church’s universal mission. “He reminded us that as members of the Church, we are called to serve everyone, especially those most in need and those longing to hear and experience the Gospel, wherever they may be in the world,” Tylka said, according to EWTN News.
Archbishop Sheen, born Peter John Sheen in El Paso, Illinois, on May 8, 1895, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria in 1919. He later served as auxiliary bishop of New York beginning in 1951 and became bishop of Rochester, New York, in 1966 before retiring in 1969. He rose to national prominence through his Emmy-winning television program Life Is Worth Living, which aired from 1952 to 1957 and brought Catholic teaching on faith and morality into American homes.
“He reached millions of people because of [the show],” Tylka said, according to EWTN News, adding that Sheen was “so far ahead of his time” in using media for evangelization.
Sheen died on Dec. 9, 1979, the feast of St. Juan Diego. His cause for canonization was opened in 2002, and he was declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. A reported miracle involving the recovery of a stillborn infant, attributed to Sheen’s intercession, was later unanimously approved by Vatican medical experts and theologians, according to EWTN News.
The cause experienced significant delays due to legal disputes over the location of Sheen’s remains and later concerns raised during clergy abuse investigations in New York. According to EWTN News, the Diocese of Peoria stated that it was “demonstrated definitively that [Sheen] was an exemplary model of Christian conduct and a model of leadership in the Church,” and that his life of virtue was never called into question.
Although Pope Francis approved the miracle in July 2019, the beatification was postponed to allow further examination of Sheen’s life and ministry. Despite these delays, devotion to Sheen has continued to grow, with many faithful reporting additional favors and miracles through his intercession.
According to EWTN News, Bishop Tylka reaffirmed in May 2025 his intention to continue advocating for Sheen’s beatification with Pope Leo XIV. The Diocese of Peoria is now working with the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to determine the details of the upcoming beatification ceremony.
For many Catholics, the advancement of Archbishop Sheen’s cause is seen as a moment of encouragement and gratitude, honoring a man whose voice helped bring the Gospel to millions and whose legacy of evangelization continues to inspire the Church today.
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