Fulton Sheen - Thank You

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                                                                                            JMJ

Fulton Sheen - Thank you

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

Archbishop Fulton J Sheen was the Charlie Kirk of Catholicism. His preaching was timeless. He brought to the 1950's and the 1960's his superior knowledge 0f our faith. He was not afraid to go into the whole world teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ making disciples of all humankind. If he preached today, he would be considered ultra-conservative. Before Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan, and Barry Goldwater, Fulton Sheen was the original Make America Great Again (MAGA) person. He abhorred premarital sex and cohabitation without a marriage license. He preached patriotism and anti-communism. These are subjects that we should consider for our upcoming election and all elections to follow. As strict and stern as his teachings were, he also had a great sense of humor.

One of his sermons taught the following. Back in the day, James Bond was known as agent 007. The term temptation became known as agent 006. If that temptation grew into a compulsion to commit sin, it became agent 066.
If the compulsion grew into a license to commit this sin freely, it became agent 666, and we all know that this is Satan the devil. He said that it was sad that this happened, but, there was a remedy for this sin. It was called confession, sacramental absolution, and Holy Communion. Those sacraments would forgive the sin and make it a compulsion one again. Frequent reception of confession, sacramental absolution and Holy Communion would return the compulsion to a controllable temptation. Thus, the process would be reversed from agent 666 to agent 066 to agent 006.

Our family listened to him on the television for many years. Our family thought that he had a better sense of humor than Milton Berle, a famous comedian of that time. His beatification made me extremely happy as I did offer prayers for that official Catholic Church action.

On closing this essay, I will use my normal closing. Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe. Laus Deo. Deo Gratias. See you in Paradise. Amen. However, I will also add his famous closing. I think that he would be proud of that.

“Bye now and God love you.”