Fr. Nic Wilson from the Catholic Diocese of Peoria gives the Homily at the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Priesthood Anniversary Mass on 9/20/21.
Text from the homily:
At times, newly ordained priests can be a bit
overzealous. Sometimes they act like they know everything. They can be quite
naïve. I confess – that’s described me plenty in the past four months since I
was first ordained. But if I may say a word in our defense, it’s because the
newly ordained really do have living hearts, hearts that are burning with love,
that desire others to know the living God in prayer, hearts that are willing to
put it all on the line and die for love of God and his Church.
Certainly,
when Fulton Sheen lay prostrate here in St. Mary’s Cathedral 102 years ago, he
had that living, burning, bleeding heart. And certainly too, like every newly
ordained, his newly ordained heart needed to have its fire channeled and
matured. He himself acknowledge this, writing that being ordained a priest is
only half the story “In due time, and not in an easy way, I was to learn that a
priest is also a victim.” Suffering, purifying suffering is necessary. But how
does one undergo the necessary suffering without being crushed? Without love
growing cold in the face of difficulty. How did Fulton Sheen preserve the joy
of the newly ordained after suffering exile from some of the places he loved
most, after seeing the world that welcomed him on the television screen turn
its back on Christendom? I think this was the answer - simply – there was the
hour that made his day and the woman he loved.
First –
the hour that made his day. The Holy Hour. That time of intentional communion
spent heart to heart with Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament. It was in
this time that Fulton Sheen heard that voice that calls to a daily death.
“Unless you take up your cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. Unless
a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it
dies, it bears much fruit.” Fulton Sheen knew that the Holy Hour well-made is
one that gives the courage to die, not for pragmatic purposes or even
principles, but for a person, for the Lord, whose voice resounds in the depths
of the soul.
Second –
the woman he loved. From the Blessed Virgin Mary, from her pierced and
Immaculate Heart, he learned to suffer well. He wrote: “If the Lord called her,
who deserved no pain, to stand at the foot of the cross, why should he not call
me? If I had expressed a love for her as the mother of the priesthood, why
should she not, in maternal love, make me more like her son by forcing me to
become a victim?” United to her heart, he learned to suffer, and he could bear
the suffering because of her love. He wrote: “She changes eros to agape,
the water of my life into wine, and helps provide those tears to wipe blood
from wounds that gaped on the cross. In my mind's eye I have gazed on her
beauty, a beauty which leaves all other beauty plain. My heart thrilled a
thousand times at her gentle hand’s caress, knowing full well that she was
content with the little I had to give, for at the cross she took the son of Zebedee
as a son for the Son of God. After many years of courtship, the deep conviction
pervades my soul: she really loves me - and if she can love me then
Christ is with me.”
The Holy
Hour and the Blessed Virgin Mary – two pillars that guarded the treasure in the
clay of Fulton Sheen’s newly ordained heart, that matured it and preserved it,
that made it the light to the world that it was – the priestly heart of a loyal
son of the Church, blazing with love – to write and speak well of the Lord
Jesus. May our hearts be made like His today and always. God love you.
Mass for the celebration of Archbishop Fulton Sheen's Birthday. Bishop Sheen's family gathered for Mass in the Tomb of Bishop Sheen located inside St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria, IL. The main celebrant was Bishop Lou Tylka and the homily was given by Msgr. Stanley Deptula, Executive Director of the Cause for Canonization of Archbishop Fulton Sheen. In attendance were Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC who started and continues to promote the Cause. Also in attendance were many members of Sheen's family including his closest relatives, Joan Sheen Cunningham, Dolores Sheen and Paul Cunningham. Many other relatives came to pray for their family member Fulton Sheen. Happy Birthday Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen!
Catholic Diocese of Peoria and The Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation 419 NE Madison Avenue Peoria, IL 61603 309-671-1550 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bishops and Family Gather to Celebrate Sheen’s Birthday In honor of the anniversary of the birth of Venerable Fulton Sheen, Bishop Louis Tylka, Coadjutor Bishop of Peoria, will offer Mass on Saturday, May 8, 2021 in front of the Sheen Tomb, located in the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Peoria, IL. In person attendance at the Mass is by invitation only, but the Mass will be livestreamed for the public with a link on the diocesan website: CDOP.org Joining Bishop Tylka will be Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, Bishop of Peoria, who opened the Cause for Sheen’s cause for sainthood in 2002. Monsignor Stanley Deptula, Executive Director of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation, will preach the homily. Attending the Mass will be Archbishop Sheen’s niece, Mrs. Joan Cunningham who is making a special visit to Peoria to participate in the Mass as well as to present the Sheen Foundation with a number of ‘treasures’ from Archbishop Sheen. Among the many personal items that are being given to the Foundation are items from his office, and personal chapel, including the prie diue (kneeler) that Sheen often used for prayer. Most notably, Mrs. Cunningham will present to Bishop Jenky and Bishop Tylka the Emmy Award Archbishop Sheen won in 1952 for his television show Life is Worth Living. The items received by the Foundation will be catalogued and eventually displayed in the Sheen Museum, currently located in the Spalding Pastoral Center. Bishop Tylka commented: “The donation of these wonderful effects of Archbishop Sheen are truly a gift from Joan Cunningham. They will all help us to continue to promote the legacy of Venerable Sheen for generations to come. I am committed to moving forward in sharing the remarkable work of Archbishop Sheen, especially in the area of evangelization. God willing, the Church will one day canonize this holy man; but until then we will continue to everything we can in the Diocese of Peoria to share the story of this Servant of God. I am so grateful for the generosity of Joan and her son Paul.” For background information about Fulton Sheen and the cause to name him a saint of the Catholic Church, visit: ArchbishopSheenCause.org ###
A SPECIAL INVITATION TO SHARE THE MESSAGE OF FULTON SHEEN
As a missionary, Fulton Sheen embraced lepers in Africa.As an evangelist, he regularly used medical images to explain spiritual concepts. As Bishop of Rochester, he visited hospitals.As a priest, he anointed the sick with Holy Oil and dispensed divine Grace in the Sacrament of the Sick.And he was a leader in Catholic healthcare.As a member of the Catholic Medical Missions Board from 1946-1976, Sheen helped to acquire literally tons of donated medicine and medical supplies for thedeveloping world.He had a heart for the sick and for those who care for them.
Over the past year, our whole world has been gripped by a physical, mental and spiritualillness.Even as we all anxiously anticipate the wide spread distribution of a vaccine, millions of health care workers remain on the front lines.
February 11 is the World Day ofPrayer for the Sick.As we continue to be united in praying for all those affected by COVID-19, the Sheen Foundation invites you to show your support for those who engage in the apostolate of health care.Jesus Himself consoles and challenges: those who care for the sick, care for Him.With the simple gesture of a prayer card, you can show your care for those who care.
DAY 1 “How God will judge my life I know not, but
I trust he will see me with mercy and compassion. I am only certain there will
be three surprises in Heaven. First of all, I will see some people whom I never
expected to see. Second, there will be a number whom I expected who will not be
there. And - even relying on God’s mercy - the biggest surprise of all may be
that I will be there. When the record of any human life is set down, there are
three pairs of eyes who see it in a different light. 1. As I see it. 2. As
others see it. 3. As God sees it.” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, help us to focus on You as Fulton Sheen did
so that we may be humble when looking upon ourselves, so that others will see
You when they look upon us, and so we can see our lives as You see us.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
DAY 2 “Protestants, Jews and Catholics have God,
morality, and religion in common. In the name of God, let us - Jews,
Protestants, and Catholics - do two things: 1. Realize that an attack upon one
is an attack upon all, since we are all one in God; it is not tolerance we
need, but charity; not forbearance but love. 2. Begin doing something about
religion, and the least we can do is say our prayers; to implore God’s
blessings upon the world and our country; to thank Him for his blessings; and
to become illumined in the fullness of His truth. There is entirely too much
talk about religion and not enough action.” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, Fulton Sheen reached out to people of every
religion. Help us to focus on what we have in common instead of our
differences.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory
be
DAY 3 “In every friendship hearts grow and entwine
themselves together, so that the two hearts seem to make only one heart with
only a common thought. That is why separation is so painful; it is not so much
two hearts separating, but one being torn asunder.” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, help me to build up spiritual friendship in
my life so I can become one with them as we will all be one in heaven. Above
all, help me to realize that separation from You means an empty heart for me.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
DAY 4 “The great tragedy of life is not so much
what men have suffered, but what they have missed. And what greater tragedy is
there than to miss the peace of sin forgiven? There is not a man living who, if
he willed it, could not enjoy the spiritual food and drink which God serves to
all who ask.” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, Fulton Sheen led so many to peace of soul by
introducing them to your forgiveness. Help us to share your gift of peace to
others by introducing them to Your true loving forgiveness and gift of
Confession.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
DAY 5 “All love on this earth involves choice.
When, for example, a young man expresses his love to a young woman and asks her
to become his wife, he is not just making an affirmation of love; he is also
negating his love for anyone else. In that one act by which he chooses her, he
rejects all that is not her. There is no other real way in which to prove we
love a thing than by choosing it in preference to something else. Word and
signs of love may be, and often are, expressions of egotism or passion; but
deeds are proofs of love. We can prove we love our Lord only by choosing Him in
preference to anything else.” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, Fulton Sheen loved you above all things. Help
us to choose to put you first in our lives so that we may learn what true love
is.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory
be
DAY 6 “Burning the candle at both ends for God’s
sake may be foolishness to the world, but it is a profitable Christian exercise
for so much better the light! Only one thing in life matters: Being found
worthy of the Light of the World in the hour of His visitation. We need have no
undue fear for our health if we work hard for the Kingdom of God; God will take
care of our health if we take care of His cause. In any case, it is better to
burn out than to rust out.” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, even when tired and sick, Fulton Sheen worked
unceasingly for your Kingdom. Help us to learn how to tirelessly work for You
through Fulton Sheen. Help us to know that there is no rest until we rest in
You.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory
be
DAY 7 “Mary is not only mother of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, but she is also our mother, and this is not by a title of
courtesy, not by legal fiction, not by a mere figure of speech, but by the
right of bringing us forth in sorrow at the foot of the cross....Mary, by
sacrifice and obedience, regained for us the title, Mother of the living. What
a destiny to have the Mother of God as my Mother and Jesus as my brother.”
Archbishop Fulton J Sheen
Lord, Fulton Sheen learned obedience at the school
of Mary. He had such a great relationship with her; he knew that when he went
before the judgment seat of Christ You would say ‘I heard my Mother speak of
you.’ Help us to better know Mary so we may gain insight into such great
obedience, love, faith and hope.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory
be
DAY 8 “If we followed the same rules for health
that we do about religion, we would all be bedridden. It is not enough to talk
about the necessity of health; we must do something practical about it - for
example, eat, exercise, and rest. So it is with religion. We must nourish
ourselves with the truths of God, exercise our spiritual muscles in prayer,
mortify ourselves of those things which are harmful to the soul, and be just as
scrupulous in avoiding moral evil as we are in avoiding physical evil.”
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, Fulton Sheen did not ask others to go to
confession or visit our Lord an hour a day without doing it himself. He
practiced what he preached. Guard us from hypocrisy and help us to lead others
to you through our actions.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory
be
DAY 9 “The better we become, the less conscious we
are of our goodness. If anyone admits to being a saint, he is close to being a
devil. Jean Jacques Rousseau believed that of all men, he was the most perfect,
but he had so many cracks in his soul that he abandoned his children after
their birth. The more saintly we become, the less conscious we are of being
holy. A child is cute so long as he does not know that he is cute. As soon as
he thinks he is, he turns into a brat. True goodness is unconscious.” Archbishop
Fulton J. Sheen
Lord, Fulton Sheen always thought of himself as an
unworthy servant and never thought himself a saint. Help us to be humble in our
service and
to realize as Fulton Sheen realized that all good
works come from You.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory
be
PRAYER FOR CANONIZATION
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.
