A contingent from the Diocese of Venice was blessed to be present for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, in St. Louis, Sept. 26, 2026. The groups included two priests, as well as three deacons and a diaconate candidate.
Among those attending was Father Robert Beligotti, who was ordained, along with his twin brother, Richard, by Bishop Sheen on June 1, 1968, for the Diocese of Rochester.
“How wonderful this event was,” said Father Beligotti, who retired 11 years ago, and since 2016 has been assisting at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. His brother died in 2024.
“It was sacred and beyond my imagination. I felt I was in paradise with the heavenly choirs… the throngs of angels coming in… being among the huge crowds.”
Father recalled that early in his priesthood he suffered a severe back injury and was told he would have trouble walking and would not be able to genuflect during the Mass for the rest of his life. Bishop Sheen came to visit him and was upset he would miss the Christmas Masses, to which the bishop said: Father don’t think that way at all. Think this way now. You will offer the best Mass of your whole life now. Offer all your sufferings and pains to the Lord… and that will be the best of your whole life.” Father Beligotti fully recovered, suffering no long-lasting effects from his injuries, “I was blessed in a special way.”
Throughout the week, as word spread of his connection to Archbishop Sheen, Father Beligotti became a minor celebrity from those wanting to hear personal stories.
Also present from the diocese was Diaconate Candidate David Wallace and his wife, Jill, of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Fort Myers, who said it was such a privilege to serve at the Mass as an usher. “I was moved to tears as the proclamation of Archbishop Sheen’s Beatification was read,” Wallace said. I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. I reflected on the words of St. Peter at the Transfiguration, Lord it is good that we are here!”
Deacon Jun Roca, and his wife Colleen, of Epiphany Cathedral, said the couple went to the beatification with much anticipation and the experience of being there was an amazing and unforgettable experience. The couple attended the Vespers at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. During the beatification, Deacon Jun was part of the procession in, along with priests, bishops, and seminarians, before 50,000 of the faithful at the Dome at America’s Center. He said his parents were privileged to see Bishop Sheen in Cebu, Philippines, in 1965, during the 4th Centennial Celebration of Christianity in the Philippines. His brother, who was a Boy Scout at that time, and his troop were tasked to direct traffic and were also able to see him up close.
Colleen Roca said she loved Archbishop Sheen, specifically because of his love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, his love for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and his commitment in early seminary to making the Eucharistic Holy Hour every day, which he did for 60 years.
Deacon Rick Hellenbrand, and his wife, Paula, of St. Andrew Parish, Cape Coral, were also present. Deacon Rick said that to be numbered among so many clergy and people of the faith brought tears to his eyes. “The minute we processed into the auditorium, one couldn’t help but feel the Spirit and be awestruck by the numbers in attendance,” he said. Earlier, when sharing with his father that the couple would be at the beautification, his father immediately lit up and said that Deacon Rich’s grandfather watched Archbishop Sheen’s television show and was a loyal fan.
Others from the Diocese of Venice present for the beatification were Father Joseph Gates, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini parish, Parrish, and Deacon Joseph Nguyen, from St. Andrew Parish, Cape Coral. Every priest at the beatification was gifted a custom vestment with Archbishop Sheen’s iconic, “JMJ” (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph), on the back in his handwriting.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle proclaimed the apostolic letter from Pope Leo XIV, officially declaring the 20th-century radio and television pioneer as “Blessed.”
The beatification was based on the miraculous 2010 healing of James Fulton Engstrom, a newborn who was stillborn and revived after his heart began beating again following 61 minutes of no vital signs, after prayers for Sheen’s intercession.
During the ceremony, a teenage James Fulton Engstrom carried a reliquary containing Sheen’s mandible (jawbone) – chosen to symbolize Sheen’s extraordinary gifts as an orator and evangelist – and a newly commissioned haloed portrait was unveiled.
Archbishop Sheen reached millions through his radio program “The Catholic Hour” and his groundbreaking weekly television series “Life is Worth Living,” which drew an estimated 30 million viewers.
