Faith

This official portrait of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen was unveiled at his beatification on September 24, 2026. Photo courtesy/Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation

Propagation of the Faith

Friday, October 2, 2026Faith

Last week, I celebrated, along with about 50,000 of my new best friends, the beatification of Blessed Fulton Sheen--it feels great even to type those words. Blessed Fulton Sheen!
While the event itself was glorious, the path to it was coordinated by an army of Sheen devotees. So many people worked and prayed tirelessly to see Blessed Fulton Sheen raised to the altars, and it's a beautiful reminder of what prayerful Catholics can accomplish when they BELIEVE that God will hear them -- in His time.
There is Union in Communion!
As part of the Pontifical Mission Societies collaboration for the wonderful event, our national office put out a call for handmade World Mission Rosaries so that we could pray on them before the beatification Mass. Blessed Sheen created the multi-colored rosary in 1951, with a different color standing for each populated continent of the world. He asked that we pray for missionaries and the people they accompany in each place, as well as for world peace. Having prayed the World Mission Rosary, Sheen said, "You will embrace the world in prayer."
Our goal was to receive 75,000 rosaries, made by religious sisters, parish groups, and individuals. Some of the beads, sent to Peoria to be blessed en masse, came from dedicated people right here in Boston! We exceeded our goal by a bit; 230,000 rosaries, enough to fill two U-Haul trucks, were driven from Peoria to St. Louis in the days before the beatification!
Hearing so many people pray the rosary together on beatification day was second only to the sound of the responses and songs at Mass coming from 50,000+ voices. It was thunderous and moved me to tears many times.
Now, we have more to do -- pray for the canonization of Blessed Fulton Sheen! Here's the official prayer:
Heavenly Father, source of all holiness, You raise up within the Church in every age men and women who serve with heroic love and dedication. You have blessed Your Church through the life and ministry of Your faithful servant, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. He has written and spoken well of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and was a true instrument of the Holy Spirit in touching the hearts of countless people.
If it be according to Your Will, for the honor and glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for the salvation of souls, we ask You to move the Church to proclaim him a saint. We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Join me in saying this prayer daily. And remember to give to what Blessed Sheen called "his greatest love," the missions.

- Maureen Crowley Heil is Director of Programs and Development for the Pontifical Mission Societies, Boston.