Fulton Sheen relic to go on display in Sacred Heart Cathedral
On Sept. 24, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Vatican’s Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, in St. Louis, Missouri. He will then be known as “Blessed” Fulton Sheen, the Church having identified a miraculous healing that was attributed to his intercession.
To mark this occasion, the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ, will host the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Display from Sept. 19 – Oct. 8. It will feature a chasuble that Archbishop Sheen wore when he visited the cathedral in 1977, making the vestment a second-class relic.
Along with the chasuble, the display will feature a photographic display and prayer cards with an image of Archbishop Sheen. Visitors will be able to touch the prayer cards to the chasuble and light a prayer candle as they venerate the relic, spend time in prayer, and ask Archbishop Sheen for his intercession.
“This year marks a very special moment in the life of the Church, especially in the United States, with the Sept. 24 beautification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen,” said Father Matthew Gonzalez, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. “Many people devoted to Archbishop Sheen may not be able to attend the beatification Mass. Our hope is that pilgrims from near and far will have an opportunity to feel close to him here at the cathedral, a place where he himself prayed and preached, to be personally inspired by his teachings and way of life.”
Archbishop Sheen’s visit to Newark
Archbishop Sheen remains a beloved figure among many Catholics thanks to the radio and TV programs he hosted from 1930 – 1968. In his broadcasts, Fulton Sheen shared the Gospel and its redemptive message often using a blackboard to illustrate his points. Despite the simplicity of the presentation, Sheen’s magnetic presence, gentle sense of humor, and hopeful vision drew millions of viewers to their televisions. Offscreen, he was known for his holiness and approachability. Every day he spent a Holy Hour in silence before the Blessed Sacrament, calling it “the hour that makes my day.”
In 1977, at the time he was invited to participate in a Lenten preaching series at the cathedral (which would not be made a basilica until 1995), Archbishop Sheen was the most famous priest in the country. When he celebrated Mass on March 6, the second Sunday of Lent, Newark’s Archbishop Leo Gerety permitted Archbishop Sheen to sit on the cathedra, usually reserved for the diocesan bishop as a symbol of his authority. “I am not by any means filling (Archbishop Gerety’s) place,” Archbishop Sheen joked during the Mass. “I am just rattling around in it.”
In his homily, Archbishop Sheen reflected on the Gospel reading from Saint Matthew, recounting the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus before his disciples:
“When He ascends onto the mountaintop, He is transfigured. That is to say, His body began to shine as the sun, and His garments became white as snow. I wonder if this really was not the ‘natural’ state of our Lord… If, for example, you put an electric light inside of an alabaster vase… if it’s expensive, it will glow. It becomes iridescent. Put innocence inside of a child and it shines through the child. Put divinity inside of humanity and it becomes transfigured. I wonder if our blessed Lord during his public life did not constantly have to restrain the manifestation of this divinity.”
An extraordinary ability to communicate the Gospel
Father Gonzalez reflected on Archbishop Sheen’s gift for communication and “his extraordinary ability to bring profound theological truths to ordinary people.”
“Archbishop Sheen could communicate the richness of the Catholic faith in a way that was understandable, compelling, and never lacking in depth,” Father Gonzalez said. “His widespread appeal also testifies something important about people today. There remains a genuine hunger to know the faith, to live the faith, and to hear the teachings of the Church communicated in a way that speaks to both the mind and the heart.”
Almost three years after celebrating Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen died in New York City at the age of 84. Two months prior to his death, he was embraced in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral by Saint Pope John Paul II who told him, “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a loyal son of the Church.” Next week, the Church will reecho that sentiment when she beatifies Archbishop Sheen.
Visiting the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
The Archbishop Fulton Sheen Display will open on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9:00 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart and will remain available for veneration through Sunday, Oct. 4 at 2:00 p.m. See the cathedral’s website for visiting times and additional information.
Additionally, the cathedral community invites pilgrims to experience the life of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart during the time of the display:
Sunday, September 20 at 3:00 PM: Cathedral Concert Series organ recital with Caroline Robinson.
Thursday, October 1 at 8:00 PM: Revival Night with Eucharistic Adoration, Confessions, and healing prayer.
Friday, October 2 at 8:00 PM: Hispanic Heritage Mass with Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin.
Saturday, October 3 at 2:30 PM: Blessing of Animals on the Cathedral Plaza.
Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 PM: Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi during the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. The evening will include candlelight prayer, reflection, sacred music, and veneration of a first-class relic of St. Francis of Assisi, with the opportunity to receive the Jubilee plenary indulgence under the usual conditions.
Sunday, October 4 at 1:15 PM: First Sunday Cathedral Tour.
Sunday, October 4 at 3:00 PM: Filipino Saints Mass.
After the display concludes, on Thursday, October 8th, the Cathedral will host the major relics of St. Bernadette of Soubirous. More information to follow.
Featured image: The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ, will host the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Display from Sept. 19 – Oct. 8. (Photos by John Touhey and Shania Mosquera / Archdiocese of Newark)
