In the history of American Catholicism, few figures shine as brightly as Fulton John Sheen.
A priest who became a household name, an intellectual who captivated millions with simple truths, and a bishop whose life of heroic virtue has brought him to the threshold of sainthood—Sheen's story is one of extraordinary faith, tireless evangelization, and deep devotion to the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother.
*UPDATE (FEB 9, 2026): Venerable Fulton J. Sheen will soon be beatified, now that the Vatican has given the green light, the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, announced Feb. 9th, 2026. The exact date and location for the beatification will be decided soon.
From the Illinois Prairie to the World Stage
Fulton John Sheen was born on May 8, 1895, in El Paso, Illinois—a small farming community in the heart of the American Midwest. The eldest of four sons born to Newton and Delia (Fulton) Sheen, he was baptized Peter John but came to be known by his mother's maiden name, Fulton. His mother consecrated him to the Blessed Virgin Mary at his baptism, a dedication he would renew at his First Holy Communion and honor throughout his entire life.
The family moved to a farm outside Peoria after his father's hardware store burned down. From an early age, young Fulton showed little aptitude for farm work. He later recalled what a neighbor once told his father: "Newt, that oldest boy of yours, Fulton, will never be worth a damn. He's always got his nose in a book." His brothers enjoyed the physical labor; Fulton suffered it. His heart and mind were drawn to higher things.
A Prophetic Encounter
The most famous story of Sheen's early life comes from his own autobiography, Treasure in Clay. As a young altar server at the Cathedral in Peoria, he was serving Mass for Bishop John Lancaster Spalding when he dropped a wine cruet. It shattered on the marble floor with what Sheen described as an explosive noise that seemed to echo through the entire cathedral. The boy was terrified.
After Mass, the elderly bishop approached the frightened child and made two remarkable predictions. First, he told young Fulton that he would one day study at the University of Louvain in Belgium. Second, he said, "Someday you will be just as I am—a bishop."
Both prophecies came true...
