ConNiPtioNs

Propagator of the Faith

I watched Life is Worth Living with Bishop Fulton J. Sheen on EWTN today. This Roman Catholic bishop had a hit television show in the fifties on the Dumont network up against Milton Berle.

Whenever I flip across EWTN and Sheen is on I always find myself drwn in. He was so dramatic and had such a stage presence. He was also a spiffy dresser. I want a cape. I just love how he always ended right on time and with a flourish. He would wave his right hand and end with it above his head. As Sheen lectured he would stride across the set and stop with his body at a 45 degree angle to the camera, he would look into the camera and grab his garment at the chest with both hands. Then back to the chalk board where he would write "JMJ" at the top and then write key words and phrases as he went along.

He was just a lot of fun to watch. He was not always a popular guy at the Vatican but I believe that John Paul II reconciled with him shortly before Sheen's death.