By Charles Igwe
The Catholic Church is preparing for the long-awaited beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, scheduled for September 24 in St. Louis, Missouri, with EWTN set to provide extensive coverage of the historic celebration.
Sheen, who died in 1979, was one of the most prominent Catholic evangelists of the 20th century, reaching millions through radio, television and his public preaching. His cause for canonisation was opened in 2002, and Pope Benedict XVI declared him Venerable in 2012.
The beatification will take place at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, with the ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. local time. It will formally declare Sheen “Blessed,” placing him one step closer to canonisation.
EWTN will provide live coverage and special programming throughout September, including reporting from St. Louis and Peoria, Illinois, Sheen’s home diocese. The network will also feature programmes examining his life, ministry and lasting influence on Catholic media.
EWTN chairman and CEO Michael P. Warsaw described Sheen as “one of the great evangelists of the 20th century” and a pioneer in using modern media to proclaim the Gospel.
The network will also provide live feeds and media resources to news organisations covering the beatification, including coverage of the Vespers service on September 23 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis and the beatification Mass the following day.
