Dr. Matthew O’Brien examines how the newly beatified Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen used television, humor, and his Irish-American heritage to reach millions beyond the Catholic Church.
As Catholics around the world celebrate the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Franciscan University of Steubenville history professor Dr. Matthew O’Brien is offering readers of The Irish Times a closer look at the remarkable Irish-American bishop who became one of the most recognizable television personalities of the 20th century.
In his op-ed, “Meet the Irish-American TV star bishop who is about to be beatified,” O’Brien traces Sheen’s rise from the son of second-generation Irish parents in rural Illinois to an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster whose television program, Life Is Worth Living, reached audiences far beyond the Catholic Church.
O’Brien examines how Sheen combined extraordinary intellectual gifts with humor, warmth, and an unmistakably Catholic public presence. His references to his Irish heritage, O’Brien writes, helped Sheen connect with non-Catholic viewers while breaking down misconceptions about the Church. Sheen took particular pride in the large number of Protestant and Jewish viewers who followed his broadcasts.
Even as Sheen expanded his appeal, O’Brien notes, he made “no concessions with his own Catholic stylings,” demonstrating how a distinctly Catholic voice could engage the broader American culture.
Dr. Matthew O’Brien is professor of history at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Read Dr. Matthew O’Brien’s full op-ed in The Irish Times.
