He is not just a holy man to seek the intercession of; he is a model and inspiration for the way we live our lives in the modern day.

“I have sought his intercession in my life, especially in terms of my own journey with ministry and evangelization, shared Sarah Circello, from Cincinnati, Ohio who attended the Beatification. “His zeal has certainly inspired me to try and live more boldly for Jesus!”

As we live in a world consumed with technology, he is a great guide on using it for good and in a way that brings others closer to Christ. Much like those such as Blessed James Alberione, founder of the Pauline Family, he is someone who shows us that modern media can be used for the Gospel.  

“Fulton Sheen really was the first Catholic influencer,” said Olivia Hoegstrom, one of the radio hosts on Spirit FM. “He used new technology at the time: radio and then television, to talk to people outside of the Church. He inspired us to work with technology, not resist. And what’s great with technology like YouTube today is that many young people are just now discovering the words and the messages he delivered almost 97 years ago.”

In discussions on AI and humanity, most recently surrounding the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, perspectives like Blessed Fulton Sheen’s provide hope and encouragement.

“I hope he continues to impact how we evangelize through technology,” added Circello. “I think he would have a lot to say about AI and the fact that we should not be lazy in our creativity for evangelization – that for it to be fruitful, it should come from our heart and our mind. So, I hope apostolates and dioceses really implement the line of thinking he had regarding media for evangelization.”

Fulton Hoegstrom, son of Olivia Hoegstrom, was able to attend as well. Olivia had come to know and love Blessed Fulton Sheen and his shows many years ago. She walked into a conference while pregnant with her son, and upon seeing a large painting of him, knew that needed to be her son’s name.

Fulton shared that Blessed Fulton Sheen inspires even a pre-teen like himself.

“I believe he’s inspired me in my love for movie making,” he said. “I have my own YouTube channel and I’m currently making a few movies. I want to continue to create and spread my faith through technology. My next project is to make a faith-based video game.”

What struck many about Blessed Fulton Sheen was that he was an ordinary man, priest, and archbishop. He wasn’t just the things he was famous for on radio and television but was known for being a deeply devout man who recognized the dignity of all that he spoke to and with – something that isn’t always the case today – especially across social media.

“He was setting a national example, not just for Catholics, but for everyone in the country. That's a national example I think that we need right now,” said Ed Condon, co-founder of The Pillar, in a live podcast recording the night before the Beatification. “The thing that has struck me about the evolution of media in general, and also Catholic media, is the witness that I think Fulton Sheen gives that we need right now. It is not just that he was a wonderful apologist, a fluent evangelist, and someone who was unflinching in his presentation of Christ, crucified and resurrected, but he was a gentleman.”

Personally, the more I have reflected on my experience attending this momentous event and his connection to not only my work in communications, the more I have uncovered lesser-discussed elements of his ministry that inspire me and model what living for Christ looks like in every aspect of my life.  

Blessed Fulton Sheen lived a life of deep prayer. He prayed a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament every single day, devoting an hour to gazing upon the Lord, speaking to Him, and listening to what He wanted to say. I personally strive to pray a Holy Hour daily and have made an effort to do so for years now. I truthfully didn’t know that he had such a devotion to this practice prior to hearing about it at the beatification. It’s an incredible blessing to think of Blessed Fulton Sheen as though I have a Holy Hour buddy. In fact, Blessed Fulton Sheen spent the last moments of his life praying his Holy Hour. His deep love for the Eucharist is inspiring to me and so many.  

I meditate on a quote from him quite often when praying before the Blessed Sacrament: 

“The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white Host.”

“I think that his witness of prayer is the most powerful inspiration he provides to us,” said Father Gabriel Mosher, OP, who concelebrated the Beatification Mass and is pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Newman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Blessed Fulton Sheen’s ministry was based upon and fueled by his life of prayer and devotion to the Eucharist. “I think he reminds us how powerful that can be and how central it is to our lives. Being so proximate in our daily celebration of Mass can sometimes cause us to forget how amazing that central reality is in our own lives.”

Additionally, Blessed Fulton Sheen’s devotion to the Blessed Mother is not discussed as often, but is meaningful and powerful. Often referring to her as “the woman I love,” he expressed a deep tenderness toward Mary. He dedicated every Saturday Mass he celebrated to her, frequently prayed the rosary, established his Episcopal Motto as bishop as “Grant that I may come to you through your mother,” and made dozens of pilgrimages to the site of the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes. We cannot love Mary too much, and Blessed Fulton Sheen’s life is a beautiful reminder that we can always deepen our devotion.

His remarkable example applies to those like me – the everyday Catholic – but also to our clergy and religious. We are shown through his life that all of us have the potential for sainthood.  

“I think of him as a model to emulate in every way,” said Father Mosher. “I desire to have the devotion, passion, precision, and relatability that he possessed. He is an inspiration to me in nearly every way that he lived out his priesthood.”  

I think his witness shows us the same: we too might become “blesseds” and saints.

“Hopefully the beatification inspires even more people to get to know him through his works and through his intercession,” said Mike Lieder, from Bloomington, Illinois, which is located in the Diocese of Peoria, who attended the Beatification. “The shrine at his tomb gets constant traffic, as does the museum in our diocese’s Pastoral Center. Everyone should come to Peoria and visit him.”  

Living for Christ is something Blessed Fulton Sheen did well and is an aspect of his ministry we can all emulate.

“This beatification experience and hearing his voice and his words again have really inspired me and reminded me how important it is to live for Christ loudly no matter what your impact is,” said Circello. “Even if it’s small, it can still be life-altering.”

The official collect prayer to be used going forward for Masses honoring Blessed Fulton Sheen offers the opportunity to strive to emulate him:

“O God, who called the Bishop Blessed Fulton Sheen to preach the Gospel to the whole world, grant, we pray, that by following his example of prayer and devotion to the Mother of your Son, we may also be loyal sons and daughters of your Church by bearing witness to the faith.”

As we continue forward with a new Blessed, may we be reminded of the good that Courageously Living the Gospel can do and look to Blessed Fulton Sheen a powerful model and intercessor.

And a huge thank you to the Diocese of Saint Petersburg for sponsoring my attendance at the Beatification of Fulton Sheen. 

Blessed Fulton Sheen, pray for us!

Click on the arrows below to view some photos from the beatification of Fulton Sheen.