Guardian Angels News

On September 24, the Catholic Church will celebrate a historic moment as Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is beatified in St. Louis. For Catholics in the Twin Cities, this occasion has a special significance: before he became one of the most recognizable Catholic voices in America, Fulton Sheen was a young seminarian walking the halls of The Saint Paul Seminary.

Sheen was born in El Paso, Illinois, in 1895 and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria in 1919. Between 1917 and 1919, however, he received his priestly formation here in St. Paul. It was during those years that one of the most important spiritual practices of his life began: a daily Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament.

In his autobiography, Sheen recalled discovering the importance of Eucharistic adoration during his seminary years. He made a commitment to spend an hour each day with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament—and he kept that commitment for more than sixty years. His devotion to the Eucharist would become one of the foundations of his priesthood and his extraordinary apostolic work.

That is perhaps the most important lesson of Sheen's life. His remarkable public ministry did not begin with television cameras or radio microphones. It began quietly before the Blessed Sacrament.

Bringing Christ into American Homes

Archbishop Sheen became one of the great Catholic evangelists of the twentieth century. Through his radio program The Catholic Hour and later through television programs such as Life Is Worth Living, he brought the Catholic faith into millions of American homes.

He had an extraordinary ability to explain profound truths of the Catholic faith in a way that ordinary people could understand. He spoke about sin and grace, the Cross, the Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin Mary, marriage, morality and the person of Jesus Christ. His famous closing words—“God love you”—became familiar to millions.

At the height of his television career, his program reached audiences of tens of millions. In 1952, he even received an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality. When accepting the award, Sheen humorously credited his “four writers”: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Yet Sheen never considered his fame to be the source of his effectiveness. His life was rooted in the priesthood, prayer and the Eucharist. His public ministry flowed from his private life with Christ.

Sheen Never Forgot St. Paul

Although Archbishop Sheen went on to become a nationally and internationally known Catholic figure, he never forgot the Twin Cities.

Over the course of nearly six decades, he returned repeatedly to Minnesota—to preach, lecture, celebrate Mass, encourage vocations and reconnect with the priests and friends he had known during his seminary years. His visits included appearances at the University of Minnesota, the College of St. Catherine, the Cathedral of St. Paul, the College of St. Thomas, and parishes throughout the area.

In 1930, only eleven years after his ordination, Sheen returned to Minneapolis and spoke at the University of Minnesota. He also addressed seminarians at The Saint Paul Seminary.

In 1947, he returned to speak publicly in the Twin Cities. In 1966, he gave an address at the Minneapolis Armory. In 1970, he served as homilist at the Cathedral of St. Paul for a Mass commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Pope Paul VI's ordination. In 1973, he participated in Minnesota's State Day of Prayer for Vocations.

He even spent time at Sacred Heart Parish in Robbinsdale, where he celebrated a Holy Hour and Mass. During that visit, he encouraged a young man considering the priesthood. That young man, Michael Linn, eventually entered St. John Vianney Seminary.

His final visit to The Saint Paul Seminary came in 1976, when he returned to the Twin Cities to speak at the College of St. Thomas President's Council dinner. Before leaving, he was asked if there was somewhere he would like to visit.

His answer was simple: the seminary chapel.

The chapel happened to be locked. Rather than have someone open it, Sheen walked along the side of the building with his priest escort. As he did so, he remembered his years as a seminarian and the promise he had made to God to spend an hour each day in Eucharistic adoration if he were given the grace of priestly ordination.

More than sixty years later, he could say that he had kept that promise.

From St. Paul to the Altars of the Church

Sheen died on December 9, 1979. His cause for canonization was opened in 2002, and the Church eventually recognized his heroic virtue and a miracle attributed to his intercession. In February 2026, the Holy See authorized his cause to proceed to beatification.

On September 24, he will be declared Blessed Fulton J. Sheen at the Mass of Beatification in St. Louis.

Beatification is not canonization. A Blessed may be publicly venerated according to the permissions established by the Church, while canonization requires another confirmed miracle attributed to his intercession.

For the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, however, this is more than an interesting historical footnote. Fulton Sheen is part of our own Catholic heritage.

He studied for the priesthood here. He learned to love the Eucharist here. He returned here throughout his priesthood. He preached here, celebrated Mass here and encouraged vocations here.

And perhaps most importantly, he reminds us that great apostolic work begins with holiness.

Sheen reached millions because he first learned to kneel before Jesus Christ.

As we celebrate his beatification, we can ask his intercession that our own parishes, priests, families and young people may rediscover that same love for the Eucharist—and that from prayer before Our Lord, we too may be sent forth to proclaim the Gospel.

Blessed Fulton Sheen, pray for us.

In Christ,

Fr. Joe Connelly