Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was born in El Paso, Illinois, in 1895 and went on to become one of the best known spokesmen in the Roman Catholic Church.  His fame came through his 1950’s weekly prime-time network television program as well as his many writings.
 

Please enjoy the following links and memorabilia:
 

• Article from September 18, 1989 issue of the Peoria Journal Star newspaper, Peoria, Illinois, regarding the overwhelming popularity of Archbishop Sheen’s weekly television program

• Article from July 24, 2006 issue of the Peoria Journal Star newspaper, Peoria, Illinois, regarding sending to the Vatican evidence of an Archbishop Sheen miracle

• World Book Encyclopedia article from 1977.

• Article after his death from the December 16, 1979 issue of the Peoria, Illinois, Diocesan newspaper The Catholic Post.

• Article after his death from the December 12, 1979 issue of the El Paso Record newspaper.

• Article after his death from the December 10, 1979 issue of the Pantagraph newspaper, Bloomington, Illinois.

• Article from February 27, 2000 issue of the Pantagraph newspaper, Bloomington, Illinois regarding the Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation.

• Link to the diocesan "Celebrate Sheen" web site.

• List of books authored by Fulton J. Sheen.

• Photo of the first, now-demolished, St. Mary’s Catholic Church building at  1 West Third Street in El Paso (northwest corner of Third and Central Streets) where Archbishop Sheen was baptized .

• Photo from 100 years ago of the now-demolished hardware store building above which Archbishop Sheen was born. This building at 25 West Front Street is at the left side of the photo.

Memorial stone marker in front of his birthplace

          On May 2, 1992, the community dedicated a stone marker and plaque, which marks the upstairs apartment birthplace of Archbishop Sheen at 25 W. Front Street, El Paso, Illinois.  The building had been torn down years before, but the marker still stands.  The inscription of the marker reads:
 

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25 WEST FRONT STREET          EL PASO, ILLINOIS

BIRTHPLACE OF                                     FULTON J. SHEEN

May 8, 1895                                      December 9, 1979
 

Bishop Sheen touched the lives of millions
of people with his warmth, wisdom, and
humor.  A gifted communicator, he consis-
tently and convincingly taught from his
pulpit, in his writings, on radio, and on his
television program Life is Worth Living.

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        There are numerous videos and books featuring Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.  The El Paso Public Library has a collection for lending and many of these may be purchased from vendors on the Internet.
 

This site is maintained by:
El Paso, Illinois, Community History Web Page
By:  Allen C. Drake

Copyright 2002-2020 by Allen C. Drake