Sunday evenings in my Irish-Catholic childhood home meant one thing only: the family gathered around the radio in the living room (with a cup of warm, milky tea in hand), listening to reruns of Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s show, “The Catholic Hour”.
I often think that my own vocation to work in the field of Catholic communications began right then and there. So, you can imagine how excited I am to know he will be beatified on September 24th in St. Louis, Missouri.
To call Archbishop Sheen a communications personality would be an understatement. He was a media phenomenon. He wrote books, recorded hundreds of radio programs, hosted dozens of TV shows and, at a time in the United States when Catholics were viewed with either suspicion or contempt, he succeeded in touching the minds and hearts of millions of people – Catholic and non-Catholic alike.
It was the early 1950’s, ten years before JFK was elected America’s first Catholic President. Television, for those who could afford a TV set, was still a novelty. Yet, here was a priest presenting his own prime-time show, running head-to-head on air with one hosted by super-star, Frank Sinatra, and beating him in the ratings. In 1953, Fulton Sheen made media history when he received an Emmy Award as the Most Outstanding Personality of the Year.
The name of his show, “Life’s Worth Living”, might have had something to do with the fact it attracted up to 10 million viewers every week. But its success really revolved around Fulton Sheen’s unique and spell-binding personality. He was a university professor with an academic background in philosophy. He was also fluent in both French and Latin. Yet, he was able to capture and hold his audience’s attention, offering answers to some of life’s biggest questions in a language that was accessible to anyone and everyone.
His “straight-to-the-camera” and “tell-it-like-it-is” style of delivery was decades ahead of today’s YouTubers…
FULTON SHEEN
Follow that Bishop! - The Story of Venerable Fulton Sheen’s Public Ministry - Relevant Radio+ 6:21–26:43)
“Well. I hope this hasn’t been a sad story for you. I hope not to spread anything but I’m a little sad because I have to leave you. But to you I say, bye now, God bless you!”
Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s popularity with his television audience wasn’t always shared by his brother bishops. Some members of the Catholic Church hierarchy, including the Archbishop of New York, disapproved of his success, fearing their moral authority might be diminished by Sheen’s immense influence.
They needn’t have worried. Fulton Sheen was first and foremost a man of God…
FULTON SHEEN
Follow that Bishop! - The Story of Venerable Fulton Sheen’s Public Ministry - Relevant Radio+
“Every day since my ordination, I have spent an uninterrupted hour in prayer in the presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. That is where I find strength; that is where I receive light. That is where I discovered the joy and beauty of my priesthood.”
I speak personally when I say that Fulton Sheen is a ready-made role model for today’s Catholic communicators, YouTubers or not. And, starting this September, he will be the first Blessed in the history of the Church to be raised to the altars with an Emmy Award (like this one) in his hands.
Oh, and, of course, Rome Reports will be right there to cover the celebration in St. Louis, Missouri… so stay tuned!
