PEORIA, Ill. (OSV) — While Catholics across the U.S. celebrated the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Sept. 24, his impact extends across the globe. Bishop Indrias Rehmat of Faisalabad, Pakistan, came to St. Louis and Peoria to join in the ceremonies for Blessed Fulton Sheen.
After concelebrating a Mass of Thanksgiving Sept. 25 at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Peoria and venerating Blessed Fulton J. Sheen’s tomb, Bishop Rehmat spoke with OSV News about his own devotion to the Church’s newest blessed.
“I feel fortunate that I participated in this historical moment of the Church,” he said.
“Bishop Sheen is very well known in the world,” he explained. “So very often in our homilies, in our retreats, in our talks to seminarians, we quote him. His writings are very powerful, very influential.”
Bishop Rehmat said he is currently reading Blessed Fulton Sheen’s autobiography, “Treasure in Clay.” Having just celebrated his seventh anniversary as a bishop Sept. 13 and his 34th anniversary as a priest Sept. 25, Bishop Rehmat reflected on the book’s chapter about being a bishop in a diocese.
“I was reflecting on what challenges I am going through, what challenges he faced,” he said. “As a Christian, as a leader, as a preacher of his time, using all the multimedia and social communication, radio, television.”
Taking inspiration from Blessed Fulton Sheen, he said his diocese also uses modern means of social communication to spread the Gospel.
“I am greatly inspired by his life, his witness, and I hope that as I will go through his books, he will affect more of my ministry,” Bishop Rehmat said.
Blessed Fulton Sheen’s relationship with Pakistan
While the laity in Faisalabad may not be as familiar with Blessed Fulton Sheen, the bishop said the blessed is well-known among the clergy and religious in the diocese.
“Now as he’s beatified, then he will be canonized, maybe media will promote him more, and he will become more known to our world,” Bishop Rehmat said.
As the U.S. director for the Pontifical Mission Societies, Blessed Fulton Sheen had interactions with the Pakistani people.
Bishop Rehmat said that he noted, while reading “Treasure in Clay,” that Archbishop Sheen mentioned Pakistan three times. One of those times involved receiving a letter detailing the starving conditions there with people having to eat sand.
“Even his experiences, his visits, his journeys, his pilgrimages are very, very powerful,” Bishop Rehmat said.
“He has played the role of evangelizer,” he said. “And we wish that his intercession will bring more peace and prosperity and a depth of faith in my country.”
Tony Gutiérrez writes for OSV News from Texas. He reported from Peoria, Illinois.
