Archbishop Fulton Sheen - The First Televangelist

Ven Fulton Sheen

On September 24, 2026, Archbishop Fulton J Sheen will be beatified in a Mass at The Dome at America's Center in St Louis, Missouri, presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. In preparation for this event, American journalist Francisco Ruffolo reflects on his life.

Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton Sheen was both amazing and prophetic and well ahead of his times. He was really the first Televangelist hosting a successful smash hit television show: Life is Worth Living from 1951-1957.

The program drew a staggering 30 million viewers a week even competing with the Tonight Show. He famously won an Emmy award for Most Outstanding Television Personality in 1952. Sheen drew a larger audience than Milton Berle known as 'Uncle Milty' whose program ran in the same time slot as Life is Worth Living.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen preached and attracted audiences of all backgrounds including Protestants and Jews. He was one of the most gifted communicators making complex concepts easy for people to understand.

Although I have watched his program Life is Worth Living in recent years thanks to the Internet. I never watched his program in its early days in the 1950's when it was at the height of its fame captivating the American public like no show before it. My family didn't get its first television till the early 1960's when we immigrated to Canada from Argentina.

Sheen transformed missionary work raising millions of dollars to help impoverished dioceses worldwide.

To put it bluntly his impact was enormous. He stood out as an outspoken opponent of Communism while advocating for social justice. He had an incredible knack for explaining the truth of the Gospel with such clarity and simplicity that everyone was touched with his eloquence and explanation.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen spent time in England during his early academic years and later throughout his ministry. Following his postgraduate studies in Europe he taught theology and philosophy at St. Edmund's College in Ware, England.

He also spent about eight months assisting the pastor of St Patrick's Church in Soho Square, London. He frequently visited England to give courses at the Cambridge University Summer School and to deliver sermons at Westminster Cathedral and the Oratory Church in London.

In 1925, a young Fulton Sheen traveled to London to meet GK Chesterton who became the single most important influence in Fulton Sheen's life. Sheen wanted Chesterton to write the introduction on his first book God and Intelligence.

When his cause for canonization opened in 2002, he was officially designated Servant of God on June 28, 2012. Pope Benedict XVI recognized Sheen lived a life of heroic virtue bestowing upon him the title of Venerable Servant of God.

The Beatification Mass for Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton Sheen will take place at the Dome at America's Center in St. Louis Missouri. Organizers chose a huge stadium which once hosted a papal visit by Pope John Paul II.

Following the Beatification, pilgrims are encouraged to return to Peoria for Masses of thanksgiving and additional celebrations including prayers at Sheen's Tomb.

They will also continue Archbishop Sheen's mission of evangelizing by honoring individuals with the Sheen Awards to those that continue Sheen's mission of evangelization. This is all hosted by the Diocese of Peoria and the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation.

LINKS

Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation: www.celebratesheen.com

Archbishop Fulton Sheen Website: https://fultonsheen.com

Sheen Article Warning for America: www.churchpop.com/fulton-sheen-warning-for-america/

First Episode of Life Is Worth Living: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQA9nxUtIew