The recent announcement that the Vatican has cleared the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen marks a moment of great joy and hope for the Church, especially for lay Catholics who find in his life and words a calling to holiness and evangelical action. On February 9, 2026, the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois reported that the Holy See has cleared the way for Archbishop Sheen’s beatification, once stalled by procedural delays and investigations that ultimately affirmed his integrity and heroic virtue. No date for the ceremony has yet been set, but the faithful await this next step toward his canonical recognition as a saint of the Church.
A Prophet for the Laity
Archbishop Fulton Sheen, often called “God’s microphone” for his extraordinary ability to preach Christ through the media of his time, lived a life that radiates a profound love for every member of the Body of Christ. He understood that the mission of the Church is not confined to a clerical elite but entrusted in a unique way to the whole People of God. This vision echoes the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, which highlighted the universal call to holiness and the indispensable role of the laity in building up the Church and sanctifying the world.
The Call to Active Participation
For Sheen, there was no passive bystander in the Christian life. The laity were not spectators of Church life but participants in Christ’s mission. In one of his most memorable and oft-quoted appeals, he boldly asked:
Who’s going to save our Church? It’s not our bishops, it’s not our priests and it is not the religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that the priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops, and your religious act like religious.
This statement encapsulates the heart of Sheen’s love for the laity’s role. His concern was not a diminishment of the ordained ministry but a recognition that the lay faithful, rooted in their baptismal dignity, are uniquely placed to witness to Christ in every sphere of life: family, work, culture, and society at large. Sheen’s words call lay Catholics to responsible stewardship of their faith, to be both discerning and courageous in living the Gospel amidst the challenges of the modern world.
Enjoy this collection of public moments with Archbishop Fulton Sheen.
Spiritual Resources of the Laity
Sheen believed that the laity possessed spiritual resources that were vital for the Church’s mission. “You have the minds, the eyes and the ears to save the Church” reminds us that the lay faithful engage the world at the front lines of culture, education, politics, and social life in ways that clergy cannot. They are the everyday leaven in the world that testifies to Christ’s love and truth.
This understanding of lay mission also flows from Sheen’s own evangelical practice. Through radio, television, books, and personal preaching, he did not simply teach doctrine; he invited men and women to active discipleship. His frequent invitation to prayer, especially the Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament, was a call that includes laity and clergy alike to ground their apostolic efforts in union with Christ. Many of his works and talks today continue to inspire lay movements and apostolates, reminding Catholics that faith is not a passive inheritance but a daily participation in Christ’s redemptive work.
A Model for Today’s Lay Apostolate
The enthusiasm surrounding his beatification reflects this enduring relevance. Lay movements like the Fulton Sheen Movement have championed both his cause for canonization and the missionary spirit he encouraged among the faithful. They see in his life a model not only of personal holiness but of lay engagement that strengthens the Church’s mission in the world.
As the Church prepares to celebrate this moment in Sheen’s cause for sainthood, Catholics everywhere can take heart in his enduring message: the laity are called to be active agents of evangelization. In a world hungry for truth and grace, his life stands as a testament to the power of faithful lay witness rooted in prayer, sacramental life, and courageous love for Christ and his Church.
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