Saint Fulton?

WITL ^ | August 30, 2006 | Ann Rodgers

[NYer]

"the first saint to have won an Emmy."

That would make for a nice addition to his future holy card. (just kidding, Salvation :-)

[Argus]

Bishop Sheen was the best popular apologist for Catholicism, probably ever. His tv show regularly explained the truths of doctrine with common sense, humor and erudition rarely if ever so well mixed together. There's never been another like him.

[NYer]

Over the years, this city has given to the wider church religious of the highest calibre. This tradition of excellence continues to the present moment, but far too often is not recognized and celebrated at home as it should be.

One of the top tier of these many devoted souls will be buried tomorrow: Dom Francis Kline, abbot of Mepkin, the Trappist outpost in South Carolina. Abbot Kline died on Sunday at 57 after a four-year battle with leukemia.

Tomorrow's funeral at the abbey will be private as the crush of mourners would overwhelm the intimate new church there, which was built under his leadership. A public memorial service will be held in its gardens on Thursday evening.

The abbot, an alumnus of Philly's St Joe's Prep, is survived by both his parents. Following his election as abbot of Mepkin in 1990, the abbot's mother aided in making the community's habits. An accomplished organist, he studied the instrument at Julliard, leaving the world a year after his graduation to join the Trappists at Gethsemani... but not before playing the works of Bach from memory in performance at New York's Lincoln Center. Twice.

He may have left the world but, then again, he kept an active place in it. Fr Francis studied the sacraments at Sant'Anselmo, worked on several fronts to preserve the environment -- both in Mepkin's environs and beyond -- and, in a state not usually known for the clout of its Catholic monastics, his death brought tributes from Gov. Mark Sanford, who praised the abbot as "someone that just had a remarkable level of personal grace in the way he handled himself," and former Sen. Fritz Hollings, who called Kline "an inspiration" and "a saint if there ever was one."

Obits here and here, with an excerpt of Kline's treatise on "Monasticism Loose in the Church" here; a second book, written during his illness, will be published next spring.


PHOTO: Mepkin Abbey

[wideawake]

Wait, that already happened.

Neither major party has nominated a Roman Catholic since 1960.

[Aquinasfan]

I am so grateful to EWTN for airing Bishop Sheen's old TV programs. His lectures are timeless. My dad used to speak highly of him, but until EWTN began airing his programs, I had never had the opportunity to hear him speak. He was a one-of-a-kind, just like Mother Angelica. The two of them should become the patron saints of television.

[stylin19a]

I remember the end of the Sheen years on Dumont (watched way too much of it...not by choice) - he was quite humble.

When he came back on tv in the 60's the humility seemd gone...he more or less "went show-biz" and he got even worse when his show went to color.

[Antoninus]

Neither major party has nominated a Roman Catholic since 1960.

Well, that's certainly true in Kerry's case, whose irregular marriage situation and unabashed promotion of abortion an homosexual marriage have made him at least latae sententiae excommunicated.

Kennedy, on the other hand, was obviously a grave sinner, but I don't know if he qualified as even unofficially excommunicated.

[muawiyah]

Actually, never noticed that Bishop Sheen was even a Catholic. He was a Christian first and foremost except when he was a teacher and then he could deal commentary on the most obscure moral positions with the best there ever were.

[AnAmericanMother]

As you know, that hasn't happened since. And such is the state of things that, even if one came close in our own time, a Catholic presidential nominee would be eaten alive -- by Catholics.

Wait, that already happened.

Why does Rocco think that Kerry is Catholic?

[wideawake]

Kennedy was not nominated after 1960, but in 1960.

[Argus]

You are right in that Sheen stressed common moral/ethical precepts that could cross sectarian boundaries as "mere Christianity" or even "mere Theism". But it was difficult to ignore the fact that he was wearing the full archiepiscopal uniform, complete with cope, sash and pectoral cross, while doing so. You know - Funny, he doesn't look Lutheran.

[mware]

Our family use to watch him on his show. My parents were not Catholic but we watched him anyway. He was a man of truth.

[muawiyah]

Just another man in a dress ~ which is not all that unusual on television. Oh, yes, and the "bling" ~ definitely some gold in that.

Still, people found it very easy to ignore all that ~ in India the orthodox Jain Digambara achieve the same effect sans the clothing.

It's something to do with the quality of the teaching and the believability of the teacher.

[NYer]

Our family use to watch him on his show. My parents were not Catholic but we watched him anyway. He was a man of truth.

Even Jews watched his program. Then again, back in the 50s, there were only a few stations airing limited numbers of programs.

[technochick99]

He brought about my emotional commitment in coming back home to the Church and to God. I had changed my thinking, but the last step - the belief and love - was missing. I saw his show on EWTN and it all seemed so obvious. The Archbiship is in my rosary intentions.

[Ozone34]

I am too. I remember his TV show when I was a boy and keep my ReplayTV programmed to record the EWTN rebroadcasts. You should check out http://www.keepthefaith.org for their collection of mp3 Sheen recordings. Each download is $1.00! His catechism series is excellent, it includes 50 half-hour programs.

[livius]

My daughter lives in Charleston and when we go up to visit her, we always go to Mepkin Abbey, which is a truly beautiful place. Fr. Francis brought in the organ - no doubt the most magnificent organ in South Carolina! - and did a tremendous amount to keep the monastery on focus but at the same time to attract people who are not necessarily Catholic, many of whom come to see the beautiful grounds (donated in 1949 by the Luce family, of Time Magazine fame).

The day before he died, the monastery was accepted as an SC natural reserve, which means that the beautiful gardens and riverfront will receive funding from the state of SC and will be protected.

They have a wonderful annual exhibit of a collection of Nativity figures in November. In Advent they go into a pre-Christmas retreat and are "incomunicado" until after Christmas, but if you are ever in SC in November, check to see when they have their exhibit. It's beautifully curated, well done - and only lasts for a few days, so you have to know when it happens. Check their website!

And memory eternal for Fr. Francis.

[siunevada]

It says here John Kerry is Catholic.

I did not know that.

How can they tell?

[AnAmericanMother]

Can't believe everything you read.

My dog is more Catholic than Kerry (she's been blessed at the St. Francis Day doings). Heck, even my CAT is more Catholic than Kerry!