Bones of contention: Catholic dioceses fight over Archbishop Sheen’s body [View all]

David Gibson

NEW YORK (RNS) In life, Archbishop Fulton Sheen was exceptional, a riveting Catholic preacher on radio who outpolled star comedian Milton Berle in the early days of television, winning two Emmys and a following that was the envy of Bible-thumping Protestants.

After his death in 1979, it was no surprise that Sheen would be pushed for sainthood. But now two bishops have clashed in an unusual public dispute over who holds claim to Sheen’s body: the Archdiocese of New York, where he is buried, or the Diocese of Peoria, where he was raised and ordained.

The fight between Illinois Bishop Daniel Jenky and Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York erupted into public view on Wednesday (Sept. 3), when Jenky issued a statement blasting the New York archdiocese for thwarting Sheen’s expected beatification next year by reneging on an agreement to return the late archbishop’s body to Peoria.

http://www.religionnews.com/2014/09/04/bones-contention-catholic-dioceses-fight-archbishop-sheens-body/