Posted on 09/04/2014 2:47:16 PM PDT by NYer
PEORIA — The canonization process for Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen has been halted after the Archdiocese of New York refused to release the body to the Peoria Diocese.
Sheen, a native of El Paso, was internationally known as a pioneer of televangelism for his radio and television broadcasts that brought him top national ratings and an Emmy in the 1950s. He also preached and wrote widely before his death in 1979 in New York.
The abrupt end to the sainthood process "for the foreseeable future" means Sheen will "have to be relegated to the Congregation's historic archive," the Peoria Diocese said in a prepared statement, referring to the Vatican body that investigates the causes of candidates for canonization.
His beatification, a major step toward being declared a saint, could have occurred as early as next year.
Peoria Bishop Daniel R. Jenky announced the decision "with immense sadness" on Thursday afternoon.
"The Diocese of Peoria and the Sheen Foundation have prayed and labored for this good work for the last 12 years," the statement said. "The bishop is heartbroken not only for his flock in Peoria but also for the many supporters of the Sheen Cause from throughout the world who have so generously supported Peoria’s efforts.
"It should be noted, however, that saints are always made by God, not by man. Efforts for many causes (of candidates for canonization) have sometimes taken decades or even centuries. Bishop Jenky urges that those who support the Sheen Cause continue their prayers that God’s will be made manifest."
The Archdiocese of New York has denied Jenky's request to move Sheen's body to Peoria despite previous assurances that it would permit the move, Jenky's office said. His body was to have been inspected and relics would have been collected as part of the canonization process.
The diocese did not comment further on the dispute, and the Archdiocese of New York did not release a statement on its website.
Sheen's process toward canonization took a major step forward in March when a Vatican panel recognized a miracle attributed to his intervention. It's verification awaited approval by the college of cardinals and the pope.
While a second miracle would be required before Sheen could be declared a saint, the first declared miracle paved the way for beatification.
Sheen, born May 8, 1865, attended schools in the Peoria Diocese and was ordained in 1919 in Peoria.
Ping!
He was born in 1895, not 1865.
Why? What is the scuttlebutt in NY that has caused this action?
Wow, he was nothing like a televangelist. When did he beg for money and get shiny tooth veneers? The press are such ignoramuses.
Born 1865 ????? try 1895
When they mention El Paso as his birthplace, they mean a small place in Illinois about 30 miles east of Peoria, not the city in Texas.
I don’t understand two things here about “why” the canonization process has been stopped:
1) The denying of moving his body from where it is apparently currently buried to another location.
2) Why does the body have to be inspected before the canonization process can go forward?
Neither make sense to me, a Protestant, for stopping the process and seeking proof of miracles via his intersession.
All — Please note I’m not seeking a “food fight” from asking these two questions but am seeking to understand what seems to me to be separate from the canonization process.
Someone couldnt get on an airplane and ride over and look at it, inspect it where it is?
I don’t understand this problem.
As I understand it, an exhumation of the body is always part of the canonisation process. In rare cases, the body of the saint has been found intact. In usual cases, the remains are reburied, after taking some tiny fragments of bones for relics. These relics, are later placed in a altar stone, if the canonisaton is completed.
There is someting odd about the halting of ArchBishop Sheen’s “cause”. I do not know why the New York authorities would not allow the grave to be opened. It might seem rather odd, from a contemporary perspective, but this has always been part of honouring saints in the Catholic church.
One does wonder if there is some other reason, which we are not being told.
Thank you for the explanation.
He was born in El Paso, Illinois. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in 1919. He was buried in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City.
Perhaps Cardinal Dolan doesn’t want to lose the visitors who might come to St. Patrick’s if Bishop Sheen’s remains remained there; and any income from it? And thus opposes moving his body to where he was ordained.
H’mmmm — reminds me of the line “See how it plays in Peoria” is something Cardinal Dolan is afraid to face or will be facing.
Here is the press release from the Archdiocese of New York.
http://www.archny.org/news-events/news-press-releases/index.cfm?i=34110
Regards,
Archdiocese of New York
1011 First Avenue
NewYork, NY 10022
archny.org/. . . Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan
Archbishop of New York
Did anyone else find that the press release really cleared things up?
Oops that post was meant for a different thread on this topic.
I find Dolan to be a bit pompous. Jenky was our Assistant Bishop in Fort Wayne IN., before we was sent to Peoria. He’s a good man.
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