‘The God Who Gives Joy to My Youth’

Father Peter M.J. Stravinskas reflected on the recent beatification of Fulton J. Sheen, noting the event's impact and the large number of clergy in attendance. Stravinskas shared personal memories of Sheen, who had once predicted his future priesthood during a third grade First Holy Communion.

The beatification ceremony in St. Louis included 1,000 priests and 850 seminarians wearing cassocks and surplices, alongside many young families. Stravinskas observed that 95 percent of the attending priests were not born when Sheen died. While nearly 450 bishops live in the country, only 89 attended the event.