Tickets for the Sept. 24 beatification Mass of Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and events honoring his life, legacy, and missionary witness will become available the week of June 22, Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, Illinois, announced June 18.
According to the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation, tickets for the beatification Mass and many surrounding events will be available through the foundation's website.
Bishop Tylka whose diocese has overseen efforts to advance Ven. Sheen's cause for canonization, said the beatification Mass will take place at 2 p.m. Sept. 24 at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis. The event is expected to draw pilgrims from across the U.S. and abroad.
The foundation said the Sept. 24 liturgy will serve as the centerpiece of the official Sheen Pilgrimage, which will take place Sept. 15-26 in Peoria and St. Louis. Planned events include Holy Hours, Masses of Thanksgiving, visits to Ven.Sheen's tomb, and the inaugural Sheen Awards.
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Several pilgrimage events will take place in Peoria, where Ven. Sheen was ordained in 1919 and is now buried. Because of the anticipated attendance, advance registration will be required for the beatification Mass and select events, according to the foundation.
Beatification is the final step before canonization. Following the liturgy, Ven. Sheen will receive the title of Blessed. The Vatican approved Ven. Sheen's beatification earlier this year after recognizing a miracle attributed to his intercession.
According to the foundation, the Dome will open early on the day of the beatification for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration. A pre-beatification program featuring Catholic speakers and musicians will also take place before the Mass.
Bishop Tylka described the beatification as "a historic moment for the Diocese of Peoria and the Church throughout the United States and around the world."
In his announcement, he encouraged pilgrims to participate in events in both Peoria and St. Louis, saying the celebrations are intended to help the faithful deepen their encounter with Jesus Christ through the witness of Ven. Sheen.
Following his ordination for the Diocese of Peoria, Ven. Sheen later served as bishop of Rochester, New York. He became one of the most recognizable Catholic figures in the U.S. through his preaching, writing and television ministry.
His Emmy Award-winning program, "Life Is Worth Living," brought Catholic teaching into millions of American homes during the 1950s and 1960s and helped establish him as one of the Church's most influential evangelists of the 20th century.
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