AMERICA/UNITED STATES - Beatification of Bishop Fulton Sheen postponed

Peoria (Agenzia Fides) - "With deep regret, Bishop Daniel Jenky, C.S.C, Bishop of Peoria, announces that he has been informed by the Holy See that the beatification of Fulton Sheen will be postponed", this is the statement released by the US diocese of Peoria. On November 18, the text continues, the diocese received notification that Pope Francis had approved the Beatification of Fulton Sheen for December 21st. "On 2 December the Holy See decided to postpone the date of Beatification, at the request of a few members of the Bishop’s Conference who have asked for further consideration. In the current climate - states the text -, it is important for the faithful to know there has never been, nor is there now, any allegation against Sheen involving the abuse of a minor".
The diocese of Peoria points out that "throughout the investigation of Sheen’s life during the beatification process", it was demonstrated that he was "an exemplary model of Christian conduct and a model of leadership in the Church", and is confident that "any further investigation into the life of Archbishop Sheen will only result in positive discoveries that will only bolster the case for his beatification". "The Diocese of Peoria has no doubt that Fulton Sheen, who brought so many souls to Jesus Christ in his lifetime, will be recognized as a model of holiness and virtue", the text concludes, emphasizing that there have been “many miracles” reported through Sheen’s intercession "even after the announcement of the beatification".
Fulton Sheen, titular Archbishop of Newport, former Bishop of Rochester, was born in El Paso (United States of America) on 8 May 1895 and died in New York on 9 December 1979. In 1950 he was appointed National Director of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, a position he held until 1966. At that time he became very famous for his television program "Life is Worth Living". In a radio show, in February 1951, he launched the Worldwide Missionary Rosary. Professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of Washington, Mgr. Sheen was also the initiator of the magazine "Christ in the World" and wrote about 300 books. The cause for his beatification was opened at a diocesan level in 2002; on 15 April 2008 he was transferred to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome; on 28 June 2012 his "heroic virtues" were recognized; on 5 July 2019 Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree concerning the miracle attributed to his intercession (see Fides, 5/12/2009; 30/06/2012; 8/7/2019). (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 6/12/2019)

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