<em>Is Anybody There?</em>: Papa Benedetto Declares Archishop Sheen Venerable

J.M.J.

The Vatican announced Thursday that Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is now “Venerable” It stated that Papa Benedetto had signed a decree recognising that the archbishop heroically lived Christian virtues.
It has been more than a year since the Congregation for the Causes of Saints received the volumes of documents about Archbishop Sheen’s life that were gathered in his home diocese of Peoria. During that time, the Congregation has been examining Sheen's cause based on those documents. The Congregation will have first examined if the archbishop had shown evidence of the three theological virtues of faith, hope & charity, & then the four cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude & temperance.
The theologians & cardinals in the Congregation assigned to this cause will then have confirmed that he did indeed practice heroic virtue. This was then presented to Papa Benedetto who, with the aid of the Consulters from the Congregation, then declared him "Venerable" by signing & promulgated the decree of heroic virtue. Now Archbishop Sheen may be venerated by all the faithful.
Now all that is needed for him to be declared blessed is the confirmation of a miracle wrought through Sheen's intercession. Last year the investigation of an alledged miracle involving the alledged healing of healing of James Fulton Engstrom, who was born without a pulse was concluded her in the USA & sent on to the Congregation for their investigation. Should the Congregation decide it is an authentic miracle they will then recomend to the Pope that Archbishop Sheen be approved by the Pope. When that is done, a date will be set for his beatification. That means that we will likely see the 1st ever beatification ceremony held on American soil will occur in the Diocese of Peoria. After that another miracle will have to be approved before he can be declared a saint.
It is hard to believe it has been 40+ years since I 1st got to hear & see Archbishop Sheen speak in Oelwein. (18 May 1970) A few years later I got to hear him in DBQ. While he is not the only person up for sainthood that I have seen live (Blessed John Paul 2 is the other) he is the 1st & so far the only person from America. There are one or two others from America that may come up down the road (1 of whom is still living), but for now he is the only one. I don't say this to brag. I say this as a reminder that saints are held up for all of us to imitate & learn from in our growing in sanctity & journey towards Heaven. Venerable Fulton* has, through his writings, recordings & TV & radio broadcasts, provided us with plenty to aide us in that journey. & over the years reading & listenning to him has born fruit in my life. I pray that it will continue to do so & not only in my life, but in the lives of all who read this.

The Archbishop Fulton J Sheen Foundation which is promoting his cause had the following to say on their blog today:

Friday, June 29, 2012

VENERABLE SHEEN

J.M.J.

June 28, 2012

Friends,

Good news travels fast! At least, I am certainly hoping that the GREAT news about the Cause for Archbishop Fulton Sheen has reached you and your friends by now. On June 28, the Holy Father Pope Benedict promulgated the decree recognizing the heroic virtue of Archbishop Fulton Sheen – and therefore, Fulton Sheen is now rightly called “VENERABLE” – the last major “title” before “blessed.”

This announcement marks the culmination of ten years of hard work, generous donations, and mostly lots of prayers. And you have been a part of this team-effort all along. I think this calls for a celebration!

On Sunday, September 9, 2012 at 10:30am in the Cathedral of Saint Mary, Peoria, Illinois, Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, will offer a Mass of Thanksgiving to celebrate Venerable Fulton Sheen. This is the same Cathedral where Sheen received his vocation, was ordained a priest, and offered his first solemn Mass. There could be no better place to give glory to God and to honor Venerable Fulton.

As you have been part of this work, I invite you to share in this party!

Come! Our enclosed newsletter includes information about the September 9 celebration. Our website --- CelebrateSheen.com – includes all the help you need in planning your pilgrimage to Peoria and provides exclusive invitations to our “friends of Sheen.”

Pray! From the beginning, this cause has been and remains a spiritual work. Especially if you aren’t able to physically come to Peoria, you can be truly spiritually present. Use the enclosed envelope to send us your intentions. These intentions will be presented during the Offertory of our Mass of Thanksgiving and placed on the altar of the Cathedral. At the end of Mass, these petitions will be entrusted to the Lady’s Altar, just as Father Fulton Sheen entrusted his priesthood to our Lady on the day he was ordained a priest.

Give! Your generous financial support has brought the Cause to this point and has helped to lead others to Christ through Fulton Sheen’s spiritual legacy. You have helped to bring over 200,000 Wartime Prayer Books to our military. You provided over 5000 books to our seminarians. And the work continues. Even as we celebrate Venerable Sheen, there is much work to do here and in Rome. Please consider a gift in honor of Venerable Sheen.

It has been my profound experience that Fulton Sheen brings people together – and I am very grateful that he has brought you into this work. Together let us celebrate – and be rededicated in prayer and effort. As God wills and the Church approves, there are even greater celebrations just ahead!

Commending you to the care of the Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue, I am,

Sincerely in the Lord,

Msgr. Stanley Deptula
Executive Director

So as Venerable Fulton would say: