Story perspectives

US beatifies Archbishop Fulton Sheen before 50,000

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 6:32 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

U.S. Beatifies Sheen

The United States beatified Archbishop Fulton Sheen before 50,000 people at a former NFL stadium.
Over 600 worshippers gathered at St. Louis’s Old Cathedral for a holy hour honoring Sheen on Wednesday night.
James Fulton Engstrom, the miracle boy, processed with Sheen’s mandible relic during the beatification.
A choir sang as the procession carrying the mandible relic entered the stadium’s lower bowl.

Summary

Vatican Reviews Miracles

Vatican officials announced six additional miracle cases under review, which could accelerate Sheen’s canonization.
Dr. Peter Howard presented a Vatican petition signed by 14,000 people worldwide in September 2025.
A 2019 court order moved Sheen’s remains from St. Patrick’s to St. Mary’s in Peoria.
The 2019 delay stemmed from the Rochester bishop’s fear Sheen could appear in a York abuse report.

History

Historical Context

Pope Benedict XVI’s 2011 beatification of John Paul II attracted more than one million people, illustrating John Paul II’s earlier shift toward large-scale beatifications. That model underlies Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s September 24 2026 beatification, held at a former NFL stadium and attended by thousands of worshippers. The Church thus leverages high-profile ceremonies to reinforce a global Catholic identity.

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U.S. Beatifies Sheen

The United States beatified Archbishop Fulton Sheen before 50,000 people at a former NFL stadium.
Over 600 worshippers gathered at St. Louis’s Old Cathedral for a holy hour honoring Sheen on Wednesday night.
James Fulton Engstrom, the miracle boy, processed with Sheen’s mandible relic during the beatification.
A choir sang as the procession carrying the mandible relic entered the stadium’s lower bowl.

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