How Fulton Sheen's Ministry was supported by the Eucharist

At the moment of his ordination, Fulton Sheen resolved to maintain a holy hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament every day for his priesthood. This devotion to Jesus Christ became the foundation of his vocation and the “secret weapon” of his lifelong ministry. Through it, he found the grace to suffer, preach, lead, and teach. The archbishop once said, “I do not know how I could live without it.” The fruit of this dedication was apparent in his ministry. He was the voice of clarity and reason during turbulent times. Many know of him through his radio and television career, but there were countless souls who had a personal encounter with Jesus after a quiet one-on-one conversation with the Archbishop. In the waning days of Sheen’s life, Pope John Paul II embraced him and said, “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You are a loyal son of the Church!” This was possible because he had spoken with Christ.

Over the six decades of his priesthood, Fulton Sheen was faithful to his promise to meet Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament daily. Busy broadcast schedules, travel, or old age in retirement didn’t stop him. Fulton Sheen always found a way to sit in silence in a chapel and listen to our Eucharistic Lord. He understood deeply the connection between this sacrament and his priestly vocation.

Fulton Sheen understood that the Lord’s eternal gift of Himself, the Holy Eucharist, was impossible without the priesthood. Christ Himself instituted the Sacrament of Holy Orders to ensure that His True Presence would be available to us. Fulton Sheen understood the importance of the sacrament of the Eucharist, and he wrote about why it is the greatest sacrament:

“The Eucharist is the greatest of all sacraments because it contains in a substantial way the person of Christ, the Author of Life. It is the one sacrament to which all other sacraments look.”

In order to bring this gift from God to God’s people, every priest must be a mediator between God and man. This bringing “God to man” and “Man to God” continues the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The Bishop described all priests as sinners whom God could still use to achieve salvation. Fulton Sheen believed that it was essential for the priest to be a holy man. The holier the priest is, the holier the people will be. There are two ways to achieve this holiness: personal prayer and Eucharistic Sacrifice. This prayer and offering of the sacrifice of the Mass are lifelines to the faithful. Fulton Sheen’s holiness gave him the strength to witness to many who had fallen away from Christ or never knew him at all.

Fulton Sheen is well known for preaching on the radio, on T.V., or from the pulpit. He once explained that he would bring his sermon ideas into the adoration chapel. He said that there were three versions of a priest’s sermon: the one he has in his head, the one he gave, and the one he wishes he had given. The holy spirit helped him refine his preaching and soon enough it was heard by millions. Sheen started his national broadcast career with his Sunday radio show, “The Catholic Hour,” in 1930. This expanded to his popular TV show “Life is Worth Living” two decades later. Some version of this TV show existed until 1968. It was through these shows that he was able to reach many. It’s nearly impossible to know how many people Fulton Sheen brought into the Mother Church. His sermons and writings opened up many opportunities to spread the Gospel through mission work and eventually as an archbishop.

December 9, 1979, Fulton Sheen was found dead in his private adoration Chapel. He had died in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, the true presence of Christ. His words and teachings lead people to that same person of Christ today. After many years of investigation, Fulton Sheen will be beatified on September 24, 2026. The great communicator now communicates his love as a member of the communion of saints. A young boy (James Fulton Engstrom) was saved due to Fulton Sheen’s intercession, and he’ll continue to bring more souls to Christ in the years to come.