Fulton Sheen’s Visit to Marbury

Autographed portrait, inscribed: To The Sisters of The Dominican Cloister, Roses in God’s Garden with The Blessing of + Fulton Sheen

As we eagerly anticipate Archbishop Sheen’s beatification this week, we want to share again this story from our summer newsletter.

Our pioneer Sisters have passed on some wonderful memories of the soon-to-be Blessed Fulton J. Sheen. During the “building days,” in the early 1950’s, the Sisters were going about their work one day when they heard the distinctive triple-ring of the doorbell which always announced the arrival of Archbishop Toolen. Our Archbishop, a quite substantial figure, cared deeply for our community after welcoming our founding Mothers to his diocese in 1944. The Sisters rushed to welcome him, but when Mother Mary of the Child Jesus, then sub-prioress, opened the enclosure door, imagine her surprise to find the slender figure of Bishop Fulton Sheen! “What, did you think your Archbishop shrunk?” asked Bishop Sheen mischievously. Archbishop Toolen, his good friend, has sent him to visit the monastery and see its progress.

Our Mothers and Sisters welcomed Bishop Sheen into the community room, dusting the sawdust off a chair for him to sit down. Despite his immaculate dress, Bishop Sheen was ever at ease, engaging the Sisters in conversation in the course of his visit. He was so gracious that he offered to help us acquire some land adjacent to our monastery property, and later sent a telegram to the three novices on the occasion of their Perpetual Vows. Sister Mary Joseph is our remaining “pioneer Sister” who can vouch for these adventures from our early days, and who can boast of meeting not only St. Katherine Drexel, when that saint visited her school, but also the soon-to-be Blessed Fulton J. Sheen.