Fulton John Sheen
Reprint of an article from the 1977 Word Book Encyclopedia
Sheen,
Fulton John (1895- ), is one of the best-known spokesmen for the teachings
of the Roman Catholic Church in the world.
His more than 50 books, along with his articles, have brought Catholic
doctrine to millions of people around the world.
In 1950, he resigned as
professor at the Catholic University of America to direct the Society for the
Propagation of the Faith in the United States.
This is an international mission aid society, which raises and
distributes money for the support of Roman Catholic missionaries throughout the
world. The year after his appointment
to that post, he was named titular bishop of Cesariana. In 1966, he was named the bishop of the
diocese of Rochester, N.Y., by Pope Paul VI.
Bishop Sheen resigned from that position in 1969 and was named titular
archbishop of Newport, Wales.
As early as the 1920’s,
he was a vigorous opponent of Communism in his writings and radio talks on “The
Catholic Hour,” a national program.
During the 1950’s, he became widely known as a television personality
for his “Life is Worth Living” series.
Bishop Sheen was born in
El Paso, Ill., and attended St. Paul Seminary.
After his ordination in 1919, he studied philosophy at universities in
the United States and Europe. In 1926,
he began teaching at the Catholic University of America, and published his
first book, God and Intelligence in Modern Philosophy. Bishop Sheen also wrote Communism and the
Conscience of the West (1948), Peace of Soul (1949), Life is
Worth Living (1953), and The Priest is Not His Own (1963).
Authored by: John Tracy
Ellis.