Top photo caption: Timeline of the life of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen. OSV News graphic/Chelsea Alt
By OSV News
1895 — Born; El Paso, Illinois, May 8.
1900 — Moved to Peoria, Illinois; enrolled at St. Mary’s Cathedral School.
1909 — Enrolled at Spalding Institute in Peoria, Illinois.
1913 — Enrolled at St. Viator’s College in Bourbonnais, Illinois.
1917 — Enrolled at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.
1919 — Ordained a priest, Sept. 20, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Peoria.
1920 — Began period of graduate studies at The Catholic University of America, Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, the Sorbonne in Paris and the Angelicum in Rome.
1923 — Obtained “agrege” doctorate in philosophy from Catholic University of Louvain.
1925 — Spent nine months working at St. Patrick Parish in Peoria.
1926 — Began teaching theology, then philosophy and religion at Catholic University in Washington; remained until 1950.
1930 — Began “The Catholic Hour” national radio broadcast.
1934 — Named a monsignor.
1950 — Appointed national director of the Society for the Propagation of Faith; remained until 1966.
1951 — Ordained a bishop by Adeodato Giovanni Cardinal Piazza at Sts. John and Paul Basilica in Rome, June 11; appointed auxiliary bishop of New York. Began “Life is Worth Living” television series.
1953 — Won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality.
1966 — Appointed bishop of Rochester, New York, by Pope Paul VI, Oct. 21.
1966 — Elected Chairman of Committee for the Propagation of the Faith; Elected to Administrative Board of the National Council of Catholic Bishops.
1969 — Appointed to the Papal Commission for Non-believers by Pope Paul VI.
1969 — Resignation as bishop of Rochester accepted by Pope Paul VI, Oct. 6. Appointed titular bishop of Newport.
1979 — Died, New York City, Dec. 9.
2002 — Cause for beatification and canonization opened, Sept. 14.
2012 — Declared venerable by Pope Benedict XVI, June 28.
2026 — Beatified in St. Louis, Sept. 24.
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