Archbishop Fulton Sheen declared venerable

June 30, 2012: Pope Benedict XVI has approved the heroic virtues of US Archbishop Fulton Sheen, clearing the way for the advancement of his sainthood cause. The popular radio and TV evangelist is now “venerable” in the Roman Catholic Church.

Another miracle through his intercession and he would be declared “blessed,” the last step before sainthood. The acknowledgment of Archbishop Sheen, who was born in Illinois in 1895 and died in New York in 1979, came in a decree signed by Pope Benedict.

The decree recognizes that the fiercely anti-Nazi and anti-Communist bishop practiced virtue to a “heroic” degree. Archbishop Sheen’s canonization cause was started in 2002 in his native Peoria, Ill., and his file had been under examination in Rome since 2009. Alleged miracles have been reported, which are now being assessed by experts in Rome.

Archbishop Sheen hosted radio and TV programs for almost 40 years. His Emmy Award-winning TV program, “Life is Worth Living,” ran from 1951 to 1957 and reached up to 30 million viewers.