Archbishop Fulton Sheen's Beatification Linked to Miraculous Survival of Stillborn Baby
A child's survival after 61 minutes without a pulse is recognized as a miracle attributed to the late archbishop, paving the way for his beatification.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen is set to be declared "Blessed" in Saint Louis on September 24, a significant step towards sainthood, following the Catholic Church's recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. The miracle involves the survival of James Fulton Engstrom, who was stillborn and remained without a pulse for 61 minutes before his heart began beating again.
According to his mother, Bonnie L. Engstrom, the event occurred 16 years ago in Illinois. James was born with a knot in his umbilical cord that tightened during delivery, cutting off his oxygen supply. Despite immediate CPR and resuscitation attempts by midwives and hospital staff, the baby remained without vital signs for over an hour. During this critical period, Engstrom repeatedly invoked the name of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, asking for his intercession.
"In my moment of desperation, my heart and voice continuously called on Sheen to pray for me," Engstrom wrote. "I had no idea how profoundly this prayer would change my life."
Doctors at the hospital, where James was transferred after the initial resuscitation efforts, were preparing to pronounce the infant deceased when his heart spontaneously started beating. Despite warnings of potential organ failure and severe complications, James was stabilized and moved to the NICU. Subsequent medical evaluations, including an MRI at three months, showed no brain damage, and he has not experienced any lasting health issues.
Independent medical professionals have reportedly confirmed that there is no scientific explanation for James' survival. This event, years later, was officially declared a miracle by the Catholic Church in 2019, directly linked to Archbishop Sheen's intercession.
The cause for canonization for Fulton Sheen, a prominent Catholic televangelist in the 1950s, began in 2002. The process involves stages of investigation into the candidate's life and works, culminating in the verification of miracles. Sheen was declared "Venerable" in 2012 after demonstrating "heroic virtue." The recognition of James Engstrom's survival as a miracle is the second required for Sheen's beatification.
James Engstrom, now a teenager, is described as funny, thoughtful, and hardworking, with a serious commitment to his faith and a personal devotion to Archbishop Sheen. He and his family will present a first-class relic of Sheen at the beatification ceremony.