The Pope embraced Fulton and said: “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a loyal son of the Church!"

This is one of the greatest photos in Catholic history.
Despite his greatness, Fulton Sheen had been ostracized and cast away by the powers that be in the American Church by the time he was an old man. When Pope John Paul II came to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 1981, Sheen was… pic.twitter.com/d5yWfmVbRY

— Bree Solstad (@BreeSolstad) May 30, 2026

This is one of the greatest photos in Catholic history.

Despite his greatness, Fulton Sheen had been ostracized and cast away by the powers that be in the American Church by the time he was an old man.

When Pope John Paul II came to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 1981, Sheen was relegated to a far off side section.

As everyone was applauding and greeting the pope, he kept looking around, and finally asked: “Where’s Fulton?”

The pope embraced Fulton and said: “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a loyal son of the Church!" This makes me cry with love.  

Soon-to-be Blessed Fulton Sheen…Pray for us.