Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979)

Today marks the thirtieth anniversary of the passing of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Born in El Paso, Illinois, he studied for the Diocese of Peoria and was ordained a priest in 1919. After ordination he earned a doctorate in philosophy at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. He then taught at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. In 1930 he began a radio show “The Catholic Hour” on NBC, which lasted until 1952. From 1952 to 1957 he was on television, which established him as the best-known priest in 1950’s America. In 1951 he was named an Auxiliary Bishop for New York and headed the Propagation of the Faith office. He also wrote no less than 92 books. In 1966 he was named Bishop of Rochester, New York. He retired in 1969 and lived in Manhattan. He was named a titular Archbishop in 1969. He was buried at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.