(Fr. Romanowski is a priest of the Diocese of Camden, N.J.)
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The Diocese of Camden is changing for the good. We hear the words coming from important places: The message of Our Lady of Fatima — consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is a promise to the Blessed Mother and her Divine Son to offer our lives, every moment, to God in order to give the Almighty the proper place in our world and in eternity where we all are going, our destiny, our true home.
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, now Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, allowed Fr. Edward Sommers and me to visit him in his retirement apartment by the East River in New York City. Why did we get this privilege that every Catholic in the world would have wanted? That is, to have a personal conversation with this worldwide personality who taught the whole world about God. I thought I had the original article I had written about our personal conversation with this man and priest who touched millions of hearts with the love of God, the pure love of God that flows from the depths of our being. A number stand out in my heart, however — “1012” — that was his address, just like anyone else’s, but it has stuck in my mind and heart all these years.
Venerable Fulton Sheen projected that aura of holiness that the saints possess — so we are told. Fr. Sommers and I experienced that aura. It has stayed with us all these years, over 40 years now. The promise of our Lord and the appeal of our Blessed Mother were in every word that he spoke to us. The message of adoration before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament not only pervaded our conversation but His Real Presence was in the room next to the library, where we spoke to this saint. He taught us that the English Bible was the one he used for his writings and meditation. This is the one that comes from the British Isles, not the one from the United States, the so-called New American Bible.
He also surprised us by saying that the best commentary comes from the Protestant William Barclay. I, as soon as I could, purchased a set of Barclay’s Commentary.
Somebody stole the whole set from me during one of my many relocations within the diocese. The English Bible was also taken from me at the Church of St. Cecilia, when I left it in the pew where I made my daily holy hour.
The daily holy hour is something Archbishop Sheen promoted for every priest. Those prescriptions for holiness still ring out throughout the Church that our Lord founded. One of the expressions Venerable Fulton used most of the time was “our Blessed Lord.” The sound of that expression evokes a picture in our minds and hearts like an aspiration as only a saint can say it.
Only a saint could name his autobiography, Treasure in Clay, as did Bishop Sheen. That is pure humility and the book teaches us on every page the necessity of that virtue.
In the book, the saintly archbishop does not sugarcoat his disappointment over his years in Rochester, N.Y., the only time that he was an ordinary of a diocese. He was appointed there by Servant of God Pope Paul VI during the tumultuous times of the post-Vatican Council II era, which still has its rebellious impact as the Devil deludes the thinking of so many to rebel against the true successors of the apostles. The “Smoke of Satan” spread throughout the Church during the short tenure of Venerable Fulton in the cold climate of upper New York state.
The obstinacy of many members of the clergy made it virtually impossible for anyone to touch their hearts, because that was the time when the clandestine revolution within the Church was at its height and continues.
Venerable Bishop Sheen fought that internal revolt against our Lord with every grace given him by his Blessed Mother. His writings were outstanding during this time. A sampling would include Footsteps in a Darkened Forest, Those Mysterious Priests, A Priest is Not His Own, and Missions and the World Crisis — that last book was published in 1964, the year that I was ordained.
I revel in those personal connections with a classic priest who never flaunted his gifts, but used them for the honor and glory of God. Bishop George Guilfoyle was the ordinary of the Camden Diocese when Venerable Archbishop Sheen was giving retreats and missions during the last decade of his pilgrimage to Heaven. But it was our beloved auxiliary bishop, James Schad, who brought Venerable Fulton Sheen to our diocese.
Bishop Schad would humbly allow that the reason he was able to have a cordial relationship with the saintly archbishop was alphabetical. It was more than the “S” that made the relationship, however; it was the friendship based on the true love of God.
Listening to, and meditating on, Venerable Archbishop Sheen’s description of points in the spiritual life was nothing less than hearing our Lord speaking through, with and in him.
The last time Fr. Sommers and I met with Archbishop Sheen — in his apartment in New York — we made a mistake on the time we were supposed to meet with him.
Sheen made an adjustment to his schedule, and we were therefore able to revel in his sage advice. Better than that, because of the adjustment to his schedule, the future St. Fulton went with us in the taxicab that was hailed for us. The cabdriver immediately recognized Archbishop Sheen and during the conversation asked him how many books he had written. Archbishop Sheen said he did not remember how many he had authored. The answer is approximately 92.
The pilgrimage with Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen came to an end when he directed the driver to his destination — someplace in New York City. The future saint took care of everything with the driver, including Fr. Sommers’ and my fare. He took care of more than a drive through New York City. An encounter with a saint and a short trip in the Big Apple made the rest of that trip, and the rest of our short trip in our hectic world, a preview of what our true destination will be like. Not only a preview, but an everlasting compass, or if you prefer, the modern GPS of the way to Heaven!
Praised be Jesus Christ. Now and Forever. Amen. In Jesus’ Holy Name.
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