Excitement was in the air last week when two Viatorian priests attended the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen in St. Louis. Fr. John Eustice, CSV, and Fr. Jason Nesbit, CSV, both attended the vespers service on Wednesday and were among the more than 1,300 members of the clergy — and 50,000 worshipers — at the Mass held at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
Fr. John Eustice, left, and Fr. Jason Nesbit, in front of the Basilica of St. Louis
Their connection to Blessed Fulton Sheen goes back to his education. Sheen attended St. Viator College, founded by Viaorians in Bourbonnais. He graduated in 1917 and in his writings he called Fr. William Bergin, CSV, his philosophy teacher at St. Viator College, as being “one of the greatest inspirations of my life,” and he ultimately credited Fr. Bergin with his vocation.
Now, Sheen is the first American-born bishop to be declared “blessed” on his way to sainthood. Sheen also is the first student educated by Viatorians to be beatified by the Vatican.
Sheen grew up in the small town of El Paso, IL, but grew up in Peoria. At St. Viator College in Bourbonnais, located roughly two hours away, he was a star debater and class officer. His involvement in debate surely played a role in ministry, where he a pioneer of televangelism, broadcasting on radio and later TV.
Yet, during his ministry, he remained he remained loyal to his Viatorian roots. Sheen returned to Spalding Institute — where Viatorians began serving in the 1950s and where Sheen attended high school — often to speak at graduation and assemblies, and in 1963, he visited Colegio San Viator, opened that year by the Viatorians in Bogotá, Colombia. Spalding Institute currently is being converted into the Sheen Experience.
An image of Blessed Fulton Sheen (photo credit Fr. John Eustice)
Sheen’s path to sainthood advanced after he was credited with a miracle. In 2010, Sheen is believed to have interceded when infant James Fulton Engstrom had no pulse or heartbeat after his birth. His mother had prayed to Sheen throughout her pregnancy — and for more than a minute after his birth — when he inexplicably came to life.
James is now an active high school student and the third of Engstroms’ eight children. At the beatification Mass, he carried in a relic of Sheen’s in the opening procession.
“What an incredible day at the Beatification Mass of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen,” said Fr. John Eustice, CSV. “We promoted vocations, saw lots of friends and celebrated with more than 50,000 folks.”
As Vocations Director for the Viatorians, Eustice and Fr. Jason Nesbit, CSV, set up a booth promoting Viatorian vocations in the exhibit hall at the America’s Center, that drew lots of interest.
Fr. Nesbit described attending the vespers service and the beatification Mass as emotional. As pastor of Maternity BVM Catholic Church in Bourbonnais, he proudly points to a sundial in its adjacent cemetery, presented by St. Viator Class of 1917, which includes the name of Fulton Sheen.
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