Blessed Fulton Sheen: A Patron Saint for Today’s Anti-Communism
Archbishop Fulton Sheen is now recognized as Blessed Fulton Sheen by the Catholic Church. His beatification took place during a special mass in St. Louis, Missouri, marking a significant step before his potential canonization as a saint. In my humble view, when that day arrives, Fulton Sheen should become the patron saint of anti-communism.
Indeed, as we survey the current global landscape, with communistic ideologies creeping in, there’s a pressing need for the kind of moral backbone Sheen advocated.
Above all else, Sheen (1895-1979) identified as a servant of God. After being ordained in 1919, he dedicated the next six decades to various parochial and administrative roles, notably as Bishop of Rochester, NY.
Yet, it was his extraordinary skill as a communicator that truly set him apart. With his charismatic presence, rich voice, and engaging style, some even likened him to movie stars like Christopher Lee and Christopher Plummer. He seemed tailor-made for the stage, the camera, and the microphone alike.
What’s more, he had a vast store of profound insights to share, thanks in part to his extensive education in places like Washington, D.C., Belgium, and Rome. Starting in the 1930s, Sheen hosted a regular radio program in New York City. By the 1950s, he transitioned to primetime television, competing with notable figures like Milton Berle and Frank Sinatra. His Emmy-winning show, Life Is Worth Living, attracted a staggering 30 million viewers weekly at its height, establishing him as the most successful televangelist ever. When he received his Emmy, he famously credited his writers—“Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.”
Although Sheen’s fame waned by the late 1960s, he remained relevant, and today, half a century after his passing, countless video clips and full episodes are available online.
Sheen wasn’t hesitant to speak on contemporary issues, often in a theological light. Amid the social upheaval of the 1960s, he criticized nihilism, remarking, “Our nation is too full with those who are crying ‘down.’ ‘Down with churches.’ ‘Down with the police.’ ‘Down with government.’ Can you build anything down? You cannot.” This reflects a careful approach, emphasizing the need for constructive change while upholding foundational societal structures.
And regarding crime, he asserted, “False compassion is a pity shown not to the family of the murdered, but to the murderer.” His worldview left room for forgiveness, but maintained that repentance was essential for the offender, all while protecting innocent lives.
Sheen consistently emphasized that political activism should never excuse personal failings. We each face our Maker as individuals, not through the lens of a party or organization. In his pointed words, “Sometimes we can cover our want of individual justice with social justice.” In essence, hypocrisy, while it may mask shortcomings in life, surely finds no refuge in the afterlife.
Interestingly, during his lifetime, Sheen was regarded as politically liberal. But we must remember the context—figures like Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy were considered part of that spectrum, both devout and supportive of law enforcement and the military. Ironically, these leaders might now be seen as conservative, showcasing how perspectives evolve over time.
Sheen was also prolific beyond soundbites, authoring 73 books and countless articles and scripts. Notably, in 1943, he published a prayer book for soldiers, which was freely distributed to service members.
This work was dedicated to the Queen of Heaven, incorporating a poignant patriotic sentiment against the backdrop of World War II, capturing the struggle against the tyrannies of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany.
Opposition to communism emerged as a central aspect of Sheen’s message. He recognized that religion was often seen as the biggest hindrance by left-wing radicals long before Marx’s time. This led to the brutal persecution of clerics during the French Revolution, a sorrowful chapter that underscored the challenges religious figures faced.
Sheen didn’t just defend Catholics; he also supported Protestants, Orthodox believers, and others who stood against the tide of Godless ideologies. During the late 1930s, as clerics were targeted in Spain, Sheen mobilized support and detailed the Soviet attempts to turn the nation into a communist state in a conservative Brooklyn paper.
Behind the scenes, he even confronted President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who may have been reluctant to address the communist sympathizers within his administration.
In the 1940s, Sheen labeled communist Russia as “the most anti-Christ nation on the face of the earth.” For him, it was fitting that the Soviet “saint” was a decaying body—“a perfect symbol of that to which all communism must lead us all, unto dust, unto dissolution, unto death.” His primary opposition was against a death devoid of redemption.
Thus, it’s clear that Blessed Fulton Sheen was not just an articulate critic of communism; he was a guiding light for the Church in these tumultuous times. We could certainly benefit from his spirit today, particularly as communistic ideologies continue to rise in various places.
There are a host of arguments against communism, and we will need every single one of them. Think of the influential voices like Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, and Milton Friedman, who emphasized personal freedoms and sound economics. Others, like Charles De Gaulle, Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan, addressed this issue from a geopolitical angle.
Additionally, figures including Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Pope John Paul II provided spiritual counterarguments to communism. And, of course, John Paul was canonized in 2014, leading some to argue we already have a patron saint for anti-communism.
However, it’s worth considering having another one, perhaps specifically focused on the United States. When resisting the rise of communism, Americans could certainly use all the spiritual fortitude available. The struggles we face are likely to be drawn out and complex.
