Priests draw inspiration from Blessed Sheen’s beatification

A major relic of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, his lower jaw, is displayed following the Sept. 24 Beatification Mass at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. The relic, chosen because it symbolizes the voice that preached the Gospel to millions through radio, television and the written word, was presented during the historic Liturgy attended by more than 50,000 faithful. Pilgrims from across the U.S., including dozens from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, joined nearly 1,000 priests, scores of bishops and religious in celebrating the beatification. (Photo by James Ramos/Herald)ST. LOUIS — The jawbone drew almost as much attention as the man.

As thousands of bishops, priests, religious and lay Catholics looked on inside The Dome at America’s Center, a reliquary containing the mandible of newly beatified Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was carried through the Liturgy. For Father Ricardo Arriola, the symbolism was impossible to miss.

The relic recalled the voice that carried Archbishop Sheen’s message of faith to audiences around the world.

“It reminds me that as a priest, my voice does not belong entirely to me,” Father Arriola said.

The moment was among the most memorable of a Sept. 24 beatification Mass that officially declared Archbishop Sheen, the celebrated preacher, author and television evangelist, among the Church’s blessed. The historic celebration drew nearly 90 bishops, about 1,000 priests, 1,600 religious and almost 250 deacons.

Among them were three priests from the Archdiocese: Father Arriola, pastor of Shrine of the True Cross in Dickinson; Father Tom Lam, pastor of Epiphany of the Lord Parish in Katy; and Father Victor Perez, pastor of St. Joseph and St. Stephen parishes.

Though each arrived in St. Louis with a different story, all three left with the same conviction: Blessed Fulton Sheen still has something to teach priests and the lay faithful nearly half a century after his death.

For Father Arriola, that lesson begins with communication.

“What has always inspired me most about Blessed Fulton Sheen is his ability to communicate the truths of the Catholic faith with clarity, beauty and conviction,” he said. “He never seemed to believe that Catholicism needed to be watered down in order to reach people.”

At a time when many wonder how the Church can reach younger generations, Father Arriola sees Blessed Fulton Sheen as a model of faithful and effective evangelization.

“He showed that you could be completely faithful to the Church and, at the same time, speak in a way that was engaging, intelligent and even humorous,” Father Arriola said.

Yet the Dickinson pastor believes the future saint’s success was rooted in something deeper than charisma or communication skills.

One of the lessons that continues to shape his priesthood is Blessed Fulton Sheen’s commitment to making a daily Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament.

“Before we can preach Christ, teach Christ or bring Christ to others, we have to spend time with Christ ourselves,” Father Arriola said. “His example reminds me that beauty, reverence, good communication and orthodoxy do not compete with one another. They belong together.”
That emphasis on prayer took on new significance during the beatification Mass.

“The Church is now holding him before us not simply as a gifted communicator or famous bishop, but as a model of holiness,” Father Arriola said. “For priests especially, I think his life is a reminder that effectiveness in ministry ultimately flows from holiness.”

Across the dome, Father Lam reflected on a relationship with Archbishop Sheen that began long before the beatification.

“I began reading Fulton Sheen’s books when I was discerning the priesthood,” Father Lam said.

The books became formative reading as he considered his vocation.

“Blessed Fulton Sheen is so eloquent yet so personal in his explanation of the faith and his relationship with Jesus,” Father Lam said. “You can experience his love for Jesus in watching his videos and reading his books.”

Father Lam said the new blessed’s concern for the poor and missionary spirit continue to influence his ministry today.

“He teaches us to love the poor no matter our position in life,” Father Lam said. “Jesus loves the poor, and so should we in imitation of Him.”

That missionary focus inspired Father Lam while he was in seminary, where he served as chairman of the mission committee in part because of Blessed Fulton Sheen’s example.
For Father Perez, the beatification felt personal, pastoral and distinctly American.

“It was amazing, just beautiful,” Father Perez said. “Blessed Sheen really inspires me. He used real-world examples and spoke to ordinary people about God.”

Father Perez described the weekend as a significant moment for priests in the U.S. Seeing an American bishop known for his preaching and evangelization elevated to the altar offered encouragement at a time when the Church continues seeking new ways to proclaim the Gospel.

“He spoke to the common man,” Father Perez said. “Every human needs Jesus.”

The gathering of so many clergy from around the country also left an impression. Concelebrating alongside Father Arriola, Father Perez found himself thinking about the fraternity shared by priests. He recently revisited several of Blessed Fulton Sheen’s works, including “The Priest Is Not His Own” and the archbishop’s autobiography.

One reflection remained with him after the trip.

“It helped me appreciate brother priests and the relationship that we have in the priesthood,” Father Perez said.

More than anything, the experience strengthened a personal hope.

“I just pray that I can be like him and be a good preacher,” he said.

The beatification Mass itself featured several memorable moments. Pilgrims applauded as a portrait of Blessed Fulton Sheen was unveiled, depicting him holding a piece of chalk, a reference to his Emmy Award-winning television program “Life Is Worth Living.” During the Liturgy, James Fulton Engstrom, whose recovery from stillbirth was recognized by the Vatican as the miracle attributed to Archbishop Sheen’s intercession, joined his family in presenting the relic used during the Mass.

Yet for the priests from Galveston-Houston, the day’s significance extended beyond the pageantry.

Again and again, their reflections returned to the same themes that marked Blessed Fulton Sheen’s life: prayer, missionary zeal, fidelity to the Church and a willingness to bring the Gospel into contemporary culture without compromising its message.

For Father Arriola, that may be the most enduring lesson of all.

“Fulton Sheen used the most modern means of communication available to him to preach an ancient Gospel,” Father Arriola said. “Today the platforms are different, but the mission is exactly the same.”

Radio gave way to television. Television gave way to podcasts, livestreams and social media. The tools have changed, but the challenge has not. Long after the stadium transitioned for its next big event, the Houston priests returned home carrying the same reminder they found in Blessed Fulton Sheen’s witness: Before speaking to the world about Christ, spend time with Christ first.

That’s where the real work begins, said Father Arriola.

– OSV News contributed to this report.