Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle declares Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen blessed at St. Louis Mass

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle declared Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen blessed during a beatification Mass on Sept. 24 at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. Tagle, acting as papal delegate and pro-prefect for the Holy See’s Dicastery for Evangelization, pronounced the Church's declaration regarding Sheen's holiness and witness to Jesus Christ.

Organizers estimated that 50,000 pilgrims attended the event. Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria, Sheen's home diocese, stated during a press conference that attendees represented nearly every U.S. state and several other nations, including Brazil, Italy, and Poland. The Diocese of Peoria selected the large arena to accommodate the crowds.

The Mass included nearly 90 bishops, 1,000 priests, 250 deacons, and approximately 1,600 religious men and women. Bishop Joseph M. Siegel and several other priests from the Diocese of Peoria concelebrated the liturgy. During the service, priests wore vestments embroidered with "JMJ," the signature dedication to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph used by Sheen.