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Fulton Sheen update: Peoria issues “additional clarifications” on sainthood cause
The Catholic Diocese of Peoria via The Deacon's bench blog ^
| September 5, 2014
| Deacon Greg Kandra
Posted on 09/05/2014 8:25:00 PM PDT by Brian Kopp DPM
Fulton Sheen update: Peoria issues additional clarifications on sainthood cause
September 5, 2014 by
Deacon Greg Kandra
After New Yorks volley yesterday, here comes a response.
From the Diocese of Peoria:
After an outpouring of great support for the actions taken by Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C., Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria regarding the suspension of the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Cause of Sainthood, the Diocese is providing additional clarifications.
According to the Chancellor of the Diocese of Peoria, Patricia Gibson, who has worked with the Cause from the beginning, Bishop Jenky only agreed to pursue the cause for canonization of Fulton Sheen after he was assured by the Archdiocese of New York that they had no interest in pursuing the cause but would support Peorias efforts. Specifically, Bishop Jenky was told by Cardinal Egan in September 2002 that New York was not interested in pursuing the cause. He also indicated that at the appropriate time he would facilitate the transfer of the body to Peoria.
In December 2004, Cardinal Egan again confirmed at a meeting in New York with Bishop Jenky that he continued to support the efforts of the Cause and reassured him that he would work to transfer the body at the appropriate time to be enshrined in the Peoria Cathedral. Based on this ongoing assurance, Bishop Jenky wrote to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in early 2005 asking for the body to be transferred to Peoria. They did not in any way forbid the transfer of the body but simply indicated that it was not the appropriate time. The Congregation indicated that the transfer was not opportune at this time because the Diocesan inquiry had just been started in the Diocese of Peoria. With this inquiry complete and a miracle being attributed to Sheen, now is an appropriate time.
On June 27, 2014, the Diocese of Peoria received the most recent communication from the Archdiocese of New York. This letter from its lawyer definitively stated that it would never allow the examination of the body, the securing of relics or the transfer of the body. Upon receiving this shocking statement and consulting with advisors to the Sheen Cause, Bishop Jenky believed that he had no choice but to stop his efforts and suspend the Cause.
Gibson added, It is essential to realize that Bishop Jenky now feels a great responsibility to be faithful to the thousands of supporters throughout Central Illinois, the nation and the world, in regard to the status of the cause. From the beginning, Bishop Jenky sought assurances that New York did not want to undertake the Cause and would support Peorias efforts. This assurance was given before the process ever began. Bishop Jenky also confirmed that at the appropriate time Fulton Sheens body would be transferred to his boyhood home and be placed in a shrine in St. Marys Cathedral where he was ordained. Over the last twelve years, countless people have offered their time and financial support for these efforts in order not only to spread the word about Fulton Sheens virtues and holiness but also to prepare a shrine in Peoria upon his beatification. After New York clearly turned down the Cause, Peoria was happy to put forth the lengthy work and effort because of how much he is loved by the priests and lay faithful in this Diocese.
Clearly Archbishop Sheens wishes for his final resting place could not have anticipated that he would go through a canonization process led by his native Diocese of Peoria, after it was turned down by the Archdiocese of New York. The Diocese of Peoria has heard from several relatives this week regarding their desire that Bishop Jenky continue to work towards having the body transferred as was presumed from the beginning.
The Chancellor, Patricia Gibson, further states, The actions taken by Bishop Jenky this week reflect his strong desire to be true to the countless supporters of the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Cause who for over twelve years have labored and supported bringing the message of Fulton Sheen and his sanctity to the world. Bishop Jenky continues to hope that the promises made twelve years ago will be honored.
TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events
KEYWORDS: fultonsheen
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http://www.cdop.org/pages/NNewsDetailAttachment.aspx?ID=22
To: Brian Kopp DPM
God bless Fulton Sheen. I pray that he rest comfotably and continue to be a fountian of inspiration for all christians. If you do not know of FS please research.
2
posted on
09/05/2014 8:44:05 PM PDT
by
loungitude
(The truth hurts.)
To: loungitude; Brian Kopp DPM
Sounds to me like New York opted to let Peoria do all of the work and now wants all the glory. If there were justice in this world, Rome would tell New York to stuff it and ship the body, or better yet send Egan there and Jenky to New York.
3
posted on
09/05/2014 8:51:43 PM PDT
by
Hieronymus
( (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. --G.K. Chesterton))
To: loungitude
Ditto. He was a great Christian, a great Man and a great American.
4
posted on
09/05/2014 8:52:22 PM PDT
by
ZULU
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qLDFiQcjlY Impeach Obama in 2015 !!!)
To: Brian Kopp DPM
5
posted on
09/05/2014 8:54:28 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
Archdiocese of New York
1011 First Avenue
NewYork, NY 10022
archny.org/. . . Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan
Archbishop of New York
http://www.archny.org/
6
posted on
09/05/2014 8:55:48 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Brian Kopp DPM
Getting the body is not necessary for the Venerable Fulton Sheen to become a Saint, it is a formality and does seem proper however if this keeps up, I wish somehow, they could just carry out the Beatification process.
The approved Miracle is told at this link: http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2014/06/18/vatican-theologians-approve-fulton-sheen-miracle/
Excerpt:
“As a normal part of the sainthood process, the theologians met to consider whether or not the promoters of Archbishop Sheens cause demonstrated that the proposed miracle the survival of a child delivered stillborn occurred after prayers for the intercession of Archbishop Sheen alone.
In March, a seven-member board of physicians convoked by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints agreed that there was no natural explanation for why the childs heart started beating over an hour after his birth.
The child, James Fulton Engstrom, is now three years old and developing normally. His mother, Bonnie Engstrom, said she had no precomposed prayer asking for help from Archbishop Sheen. I just kept repeating his name over and over in my head: Fulton Sheen, Fulton Sheen, Fulton Sheen, said Ms Engstrom.”
To: Brian Kopp DPM
This is 100%, totally, completely, absolutely the decision of Dolan.
Dolan hates Sheen, and Dolan is a liar.
To: Arthur McGowan
To: BeadCounter
To: Brian Kopp DPM; stanne
I appreciate that Archbishop Sheen requested to be buried in NY and respecting his wishes is understandable, but for the cause of the universal Church calling him to sainthood.
THAT is a different matter that dear Bishop Sheen would humbly be obedient to. Sainthood is what we hope for and seek. To be received into the process for such a declaration, Bishop Sheen would not have refused to his Church.
NY has been found possessive of the remains while having rejected the cause and the process. They have broken a contract.
Cardinal Dolan could end this reversal of an oral contract without a scene and a scandal, if he wants to. His silence is deafening.
Frankly, I respect the pushback NY is getting, based on this report. The will of Cardinal Dolan has stretched more than a few bounds already, and now this?
Very embarrassing for the Church, especially in the US.
11
posted on
09/05/2014 9:12:37 PM PDT
by
RitaOK
( VIVA CRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
To: BeadCounter
Of course he is involved. The lawyers have no authority to do this ad hoc, nor does the family, nor anyone in NY. The decision to break faith and contract with Peoria belongs to Dolan, or to Rome.
By all accounts, it wasn’t Rome.
12
posted on
09/05/2014 9:17:50 PM PDT
by
RitaOK
( VIVA CRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
To: BeadCounter
Thank you very much for both links.
Does Cardinal Dolan lack understanding of the process of the cause for sainthood, and what is entailed concerning a shrine with the remains of a saint and/or first class relics?
Does Cardinal find himself repulsed by first class relics?
Does Cardinal wish to single handedly make decisions without basis other than his own personal preferences that change the ancient practice?
This isn’t a very good reflection of his place or position.
13
posted on
09/05/2014 9:34:26 PM PDT
by
RitaOK
( VIVA CRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
To: RitaOK; Salvation
14
posted on
09/05/2014 9:38:28 PM PDT
by
Hieronymus
( (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. --G.K. Chesterton))
To: Hieronymus
I am glad you have written NY. I don’t have email and I had been waiting to hear from NY their excuse for this torpedo, I mean.... their “response” to this “situation”.
I suppose I too must write (longhand) of my embarrassment for them and for the Cardinal’s personal basis for his reversal.
Thanks very much.
15
posted on
09/05/2014 9:53:59 PM PDT
by
RitaOK
( VIVA CRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
To: RitaOK
I suspect that an old-fashion letter carries even more weight than e-mail.
16
posted on
09/05/2014 10:08:11 PM PDT
by
Hieronymus
( (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. --G.K. Chesterton))
To: Hieronymus
17
posted on
09/05/2014 10:14:33 PM PDT
by
RitaOK
( VIVA CRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
To: Arthur McGowan
Dolan hates SheenWhy wouldn't Dolan hate Sheen? Sheen's very existence makes Dolan look bad.
To: BeadCounter
Anyone who knows how a diocese works already knows that this is the personal, direct decision of Dolan. A bishop has absolute authority over such matters, and no such decision could conceivably be made independently of the bishop.
With respect to such a weighty matter, “the Archdiocese” means “Cardinal Dolan.”
To: Hieronymus
Sounds to me like Cdl Dolan doesn’t want Sheen canonized. It doesn’t say that NY is reviving the effort to have him canonized there, simply that Dolan has forbidden Peoria (which has a relatively conservative bishop) to receive or have access to the remains for canonization purposes.
20
posted on
09/06/2014 2:29:13 AM PDT
by
livius
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