Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, Illinois, announced that Venerable Fulton Sheen will be beatified on September 24 in St. Louis, at The Dome at America’s Center.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the two pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization, will preside at the beatification Mass.
“This is a moment of immense grace for the Church—especially for us in the Diocese of Peoria, where Archbishop Sheen was born, ordained, and first served as a priest,” said Bishop Tylka. “His life and ministry continue to inspire countless people to know and love Jesus Christ more deeply. Through his preaching, teaching, and personal witness, he brought the light of faith to millions, calling each of us to a deeper devotion to the Eucharist and to Our Blessed Mother.”
The beatification of Archbishop Sheen (1895-1979) was postponed in 2019 amid concern about the possibility that he might be linked to the assignment of abusive priests during his brief tenure as bishop of Rochester, New York (1966-1969). The diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2019 and agreed to a $246-million settlement last year.