Kate Stevenson
Tens of thousands of Catholics attended the Dome at the America's Center in Saint Louis for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen on September 24th.
James Fulton Engstrom, who was miraculously saved by the Archbishop during his traumatic birth, carried the relics of his namesake to the makeshift alter. The ornate vessel contained Fulton Sheen's jawbone and symbolized the voice he used to proclaim the gospel to millions.
The ceremony comes 16 years after James was born without a pulse and made a medically unexplained recovery after being declared dead. Both James' family and the Church attribute his survival to the intercession and prayers of Sheen.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presided over the mass in St. Louis and acted as Pope Leo XIV's delegate. He read the acclamation of the Apostolic Letter in Latin.
Afterwards the official portrait of Archbishop Fulton Sheen was unveiled.
Cardinal Tagle then continued his homily with greetings from the pope who said he “rejoices at the beatification his fellow countryman, his fellow Illinoyan and brother bishop.”
The cardinal focused on Sheen's unity with Christ, service to the poor, and praised his spirit to spread the gospel. But most importantly his authenticity and dedication to his mission.
CARD. TAGLE
Papal Representative for the Beatification
During an audience Pope Pius XII once asked Bishop Sheen, how many conversions he could claim as his own, as his own success stories, how man conversions could he claim? He answered the Pope: I really have not counted in order not to have the temptation to believe that they were mine.
Officials are hopeful that the wait for Archbishop Fulton Sheen's canonization will be much shorter than his beatification, especially with an Illinois-born pope at the helm of the church.
