Your Modern Day Fulton Sheen

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SanRafael1102

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Who’s your modern day Fulton J. Sheen? What I mean is, who is your modern media-savvy Catholic teacher who teaches the faith, morals, etc.? I know that realistically there will never be another (soon to be Blessed) Fulton Sheen, so please don’t hit me up about that, but seriously, who is out there following in his footsteps?

I’ve learned so much from watching the old Sheen media; his lectures, his old “Life is Worth Living” broadcasts, and his books; I just want to augment that experience, to get more, and to mix in a little variety so I won’t run out of videos to watch (I watch one every night before bed).

A few examples I’ve heard about: Fr. Mitch Pacwa SJ, Mother Mary Angelica (deceased), Bishop Robert Barron

Any help will be appreciated

Thoughts?
 
When discerning my entry into the church, Fr. John Corapi was influential. I enjoyed watching him on EWTN. His old videos might still be online. I wouldn’t recommend his recent works😔
 
My first thought was Father Mitch Pacwa. I was listening to his show on EWTN the other day and I was amazed by the depth of his knowledge of scripture. He also just seems like a very sweet man in the way that he interacts with others.
 
Mother Angelica. Like Sheen enormous media influence. I like Father Spritzer, even though his TV presence is only an hour a week he’s active online and books.
 
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I don’t hear much about him on this forum but I’ve greatly benefited from Ralph Martin. And definitely from Scott Hahn as well.
 
Mother Angelica definitely picked up Sheen’s torch.
If I had to pick one for today it would be Bishop Barron, probably. But he doesn’t have anywhere the influence of Sheen or Mother Angelica.
 
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I would add Fr. John Riccardo and his program, “Christ is the Answer”. Good, solid, easy to understand teaching. Check it out.
 
I like Father Mitch. He’s a cat lover.

Also Father Robert Spitzer. I like his show, Father Spitzer’s Universe. I’m pretty sure he’s the most learned person speaking anywhere on TV about Catholicism.
 
Bishop Schneider is always impressive and focused on the Eucharist.
 
SanRafael1102 said:
Who’s your modern day Fulton J. Sheen? What I mean is, who is your modern media-savvy Catholic teacher who teaches the faith, morals, etc.? I know that realistically there will never be another (soon to be Blessed) Fulton Sheen, so please don’t hit me up about that, but seriously, who is out there following in his footsteps?
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We really don’t have one. Keep in mind that Bishop Sheen had a weekly program on secular television, and there were only three or four TV networks. Present-day commentators are on Catholic networks or online; a person whose interests lie in the secular world would never have heard of them. It would be kind of like a Catholic bishop, with the media presence of Pastor Rick Warren or T.D. Jakes (for instance), having a prime-time half-hour show every Sunday evening on NBC or Fox. Pleasant idea to contemplate, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
 
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The only one who came close to Ven Archbishop Sheen was Mother Angelica.

Today, I would say Fr. Mitch Pacwa is perhaps the priest with the most TV reach today, but he’s limited to EWTN viewers. With Bishop Barron arguably 2nd (due to his YouTube outreach, videos, and Radio Programs. And then Fr. Michael Schmitz (Youtube) and finally Bishop Robert Reed of Catholic TV in the back.

But NONE of them (other than Mother Angelica) remotely comes close to Ven Archbishop Sheen.

Both Ven Archbishop Sheen and Mother Angelica had a straightforward way to teaching and faith and were not afraid to address hard teachings and threats to the Church.

God Bless
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
Mother Angelica definitely picked up Sheen’s torch.
If I had to pick one for today it would be Bishop Barron, probably. But he doesn’t have anywhere the influence of Sheen or Mother Angelica.
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I totally agree.

Additional, in regards to Bishop Barron - while I like and respect him - he has a tendency to be a little too academic and/or philosophical. So he sometimes talks to the laity like he’s talking to seminarians, confusing some Catholics by leading them to believe he is teaching something that he’s not.

Archbishop Sheen and Mother Angelica were very direct and plainspoken*, something the Bishop Barron sometimes struggles with.

*Though Archbishop Sheen always spoke very educated way and it was easy to tell how intelligent he was; he understood his audience and spoke in such a direct way, even the most uneducated person would understand.
 
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As others have said Bishop Barron is probably the closest that we have currently. Father Mike Schmitz and Brother (now Father) Casey of Breaking in the Habit are both really good in my opinion.
 
Quite simply nobody has the charisma and upbringing of having been in the perfect place at the perfect time wherewith Sheen derived. Nobody.
 
I like Bishop Barron. His videos got me back to Church. He’d comment on them back and forth with me

But there are a few things where I respectfully disagree with him. He doesn’t seem to address the abuse crisis and specifically Archbishop Vigano letters with urgency that is needed. For that reason I listen to Dr Taylor Marshall but still listen to Bishop Barron from time to time
 
Father Hezekias and Father Sebastian from the Institute of Catholic Culture. They have a great Sunday Gospel reflection and classes. Check out the website. It’s free to register and they have over 800 archived video lectures from the Catholic (both East and West) worlds best minds. Lectures on apologetics, Bible studies, the sacraments, theology live webinars. The list goes on and on.

ZP
 
Servant of God Fulton J. Sheen had such an amazing combination of personal qualities that one like him comes along, not once in a genration, but once in a century.

His knowledge, education and intelligence, wit, sense of humor, stage presence, flair for the dramatic - it was simply stunning and still is.

Hard to duplicate such grace.
 
Fr. John Riccardo. EWTN has his “Christ is the Answer” programs available in their archive, as does Ave Maria Radio.

He’s very articulate, easy to understand, has a sense of humor, and doesn’t pull any punches.
 
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