One Hour to Adore: Fulton Sheen and the Eucharist

Kindly Light Media, the production company of the Province of Saint Joseph is currently working on a film about Archbishop Fulton Sheen and his insights into the art of preaching. Yesterday marked the 33rd anniversary of Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s passing, and his message of fearlessly proclaiming the Gospel to a secular world is still on point. Kindly Light is on Facebook and Twitter, @kindlylightnyc, so please “like” and “follow” to be kept informed of the latest news pertaining to this film project. In honor of Archbishop Fulton Sheen I will be re-printing excerpts from an informative article by Fr. John Baptist Ku, O.P., entitled, “Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Master Preacher, Master of the Air Waves.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen was a great preacher because he realized what is at the heart of the human struggle. He understood Who had the power to convict hearts. Here recorded are his reflections on preaching and inspiring anecdotes from his experience as an evangelist. On the day of his ordination, Sheen resolved to spend one hour in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament every day of his life, and this he did faithfully. This nourishment served as the very root of his prayer life and vocation. Holy legend relates that when the angels first heard Adam speak, they fled in fear. For, they had only ever known the Father to speak a Word. Precious indeed is the gift of speech, and more precious, then, is the gift of preaching. For, preachers of the Word do not merely trade on words. Herein lies the difference between an orator of the world and an orator of Christ. A man becomes a orator in the world by learning how to orate; a man becomes an orator of Christ by learning how to orare — for is not the very meaning of the word “oratory” bound up with the word “prayer”? The first is a dealer in words; the second is a communicant with the Word. One is like a flint that kindles its own fires; the other is like a brand lit by the torch of God. Fr. John Baptist Ku, O.P., was born in Manhattan and grew up in Fairfax, Virginia. After graduating from the University of Virginia, he worked at AT&T for five years before entering the Dominican Order in 1992. After serving for three years in St. Pius V Parish in Providence, R.I., he completed his doctoral studies in dogmatic theology at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland and began teaching for the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in 2009.