Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's cause for sainthood experienced a mysterious postponement six years ago, halting his scheduled beatification. Pope Francis canonized 942 saints during his pontificate, often utilizing equivalent canonization by papal fiat. The advancement of canonization causes is the prerogative of the current pontiff, Pope Leo XIV. There is hope that the change in papal leadership might lead to the revival or rectification of Sheen's stalled cause.
9 days ago
Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, an influential American evangelist and television personality, had his beatification scheduled for December 21, 2019, in Peoria, Illinois.1
Pope Benedict XVI recognized Sheen's life of heroic virtue in 2012, declaring him worthy of veneration.1
A miracle attributed to Sheen's intercession was approved by Pope Francis in 2019, paving the way for beatification.1
The beatification was unexpectedly postponed in 2019, causing scandal due to its advanced stage and lack of transparency.1
The Diocese of Rochester, New York, where Sheen briefly served as bishop, requested further examination of his handling of clergy abuse claims during his tenure.1
This request coincided with anticipation of a New York attorney general's report on statewide clergy sexual abuse.1
No new issues have emerged from that process, which is nearing conclusion, and Rochester recently settled abuse claims with a $256.35 million fund.1
Infighting persists between the Dioceses of Peoria and New York over Sheen's burial.1
Sheen's family wishes to return his remains to Peoria Cathedral, where he was ordained in 1920.1
The Archdiocese of New York seeks to keep the body in St. Patrick's Cathedral crypt in Manhattan.1
Rome could resolve this to prevent further legal disputes in U.S. courts.1
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Illinois, is the first American pope and shares regional ties with Sheen.1
Having grown up during Sheen's era as a television evangelist, Leo may have personal familiarity or devotion to him.1
Leo's focus on church unity and overcoming polarization positions Sheen's beatification as a healing opportunity, especially in the U.S.1
Advancing the cause could provide transparency on the delay and mark an early "win" for his pontificate.1
Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria renewed the Sheen Foundation Advisory Board, inactive since 2019.1
Msgr. Roger Landry, now leading the Pontifical Mission Society where Sheen served as national director, commemorates Sheen's legacy, including a December 9, 2025, Mass on the 46th anniversary of his death.1
Despite the six-year delay, devotion to Sheen grows, portraying him as a relevant figure for modern times.1
The article suggests that clarifying the cause's status would address concerns for the faithful and uphold the church's beatification process.1
Assess papal authority over stalled sainthood causes
The canonization of saints is a profound act of the Catholic Church, affirming the holiness of individuals and proposing them as models for the faithful. Central to this process is the Pope's supreme authority, which extends not only to the final declaration but also to overseeing and resolving any delays or stalls in the proceedings. This authority ensures fidelity to Church tradition while safeguarding the integrity of the discernment. Drawing from established Catholic teachings, the Pope's role is both legislative and judicial, allowing him to intervene decisively in stalled causes to advance or conclude them as needed. Historical examples illustrate how political, procedural, or evidential challenges can halt progress, yet papal prerogative ultimately prevails, underscoring the Church's belief in the Holy Spirit's guidance through the successor of Peter.
The process of canonization begins with local initiatives but is governed by special pontifical law, reserving ultimate decision-making to the Holy See. As outlined in the Code of Canon Law, diocesan bishops or equivalent authorities may initiate inquiries into a servant of God's life, virtues, martyrdom, reputation for sanctity, and alleged miracles, either on their own initiative or at the request of the faithful. These investigations follow norms set by the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints (now the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints), which provides guidelines to bishops and studies the causes thoroughly before voting on their merit. The process involves multiple stages: diocesan examinations, apostolic processes with new witness testimonies, evaluations of heroic virtues, validation of miracles, and decrees on whether beatification or canonization can proceed safely (de tuto). At each step, opportunities arise for objections, often from the promoter of the faith (historically the "devil's advocate"), which can prolong deliberations.
The Pope's authority permeates this framework. He alone solemnizes canonizations, declaring and defining a person as a saint, enrolling them among the saints, and decreeing universal veneration. This includes the power to interpret, alter, or abrogate laws related to the process, whether his own or those of predecessors. For instance, the Pope can dispense privileges, such as allowing private Masses in chapels, and while bound to preserve the substantial rites of sacraments, he holds certain powers over procedural elements, like establishing impediments to marriage or granting faculties to priests. In stalled causes, where evidence collection, validity checks, or miracle attributions falter, the pontifical law allows the Holy See to direct further inquiries or consolidate reviews, preventing indefinite delays. The starting point of any cause is an appeal to the Holy See by the faithful, emphasizing popular devotion and persistent repute for sanctity, which the Pope must verify before proceeding. This ensures that stagnation does not undermine the Church's mission to honor exemplary lives.
Stalled sainthood causes often arise from procedural rigor, evidential gaps, or external pressures, yet none can override papal authority. The process demands proof of heroic virtues and miracles, with verdicts on sanctity's repute, process validity, and supernatural origins issued by the Congregation after thorough scrutiny. Delays can occur during intervals between stages, where the promoter of the faith raises printed objections, or when petitions from knowledgeable parties urge expedition but lack sufficient backing. For martyrs, additional rigor applies to confirming death in odium fidei (hatred of the faith).
Historically, external factors like politics or waning miracles have impeded progress. In the fourteenth century, an attempt to canonize Hildegard of Bingen stalled despite commissions finding her life holy and miracle-attested. Witnesses to early post-mortem miracles had died, and reported wonders ceased under the Mainz archbishop's mandate, making solemn canonization impossible at the time. Pope Gregory IX and his successor Clement V commissioned inquiries, but the process did not culminate, highlighting how evidential challenges can halt momentum without papal finality. Similarly, St. Robert Bellarmine's cause faced delays in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries due to influential opposers like Cardinals Barbarigo, Casante, Azzolino, and Passionei, compounded by political sensitivities over his teachings on papal authority, which clashed with French Regalist views. Benedict XIV confided that the holdup stemmed from "sad circumstances of the times" rather than substantive flaws, yet Bellarmine was eventually canonized by Pius XI in 1930. These cases show that while local or congregational hurdles can stall causes, they do not diminish the Pope's overarching control.
In contrast, expedited processes, like Mother Teresa's, demonstrate papal flexibility: less than two years after her 1997 death, John Paul II opened her cause amid widespread devotion and reported favors, approving heroic virtues and miracles by 2002. This underscores that the Pope can accelerate stalled or nascent causes when conditions align, balancing caution with the Church's need for timely exemplars.
The Pope's authority over stalled causes is rooted in his role as supreme teacher and guardian of the Church's holiness, an essential mark of the ecclesial body. Canonization is intrinsically linked to infallibility, as it declares not only heavenly status but mandates liturgical veneration, including Masses in the saint's honor—acts that would contradict the Church's sanctity if erroneous. The typical formula of canonization invokes Christ's authority and that of Peter and Paul, using "we declare and define" to bind the universal Church. Popes like Pius XI and Pius XII explicitly affirmed this as an "infallible judgment," with Pius XI stating, "We, as the supreme teacher of the Catholic Church, pronounce infallible judgment with these words," and Pius XII adding that such decrees "cannot be wrong." While not strictly heretical to question this infallibility, it opposes the common teaching of theologians and papal declarations.
Theologically, St. Thomas Aquinas supports pious belief in the Church's non-erring judgment here, viewing saintly honor as a profession of faith in their glory. Objections to infallibility—such as canonizations not directly tied to revelation or procedural changes like abolishing the devil's advocate—do not negate papal supremacy; recent norms under John Paul II refined the process for efficiency while preserving rigor.[5†L Objection 3], The Pope can legislate for the whole Church, convoke councils if needed, and confirm acts, ensuring stalled causes do not languish indefinitely. In practice, this means the Holy See can re-examine evidence, override local objections, or issue decrees de tuto to proceed, as seen in historical interventions. For example, Alexander VII collected and presented St. Francis de Sales' writings for canonization after their rediscovery. Papal encyclicals like those of Pius X on St. Charles Borromeo and Leo XIII on multiple saints emphasize canonization's role in exalting faith and countering errors, prompting timely resolutions.,
Papal authority over stalled sainthood causes safeguards the process's integrity while allowing adaptability to contemporary needs. By reserving canonization to himself, the Pope prevents fragmentation and ensures decisions reflect the Church's universal witness. In cases like Hildegard's or Bellarmine's, delays tested patience but ultimately yielded to papal discernment, affirming that no cause is beyond the Holy See's reach. This authority, exercised infallibly in final acts, invites the faithful to persistent prayer and petition, knowing the successor of Peter holds the keys to heavenly honors. In an era of rapid cultural shifts, such oversight reminds us that sainthood transcends time, drawing the Church toward eternal communion.