Catholic Arena

Before the Euro was introduced, Ireland's currency was the Punt and it's bank notes depicted poets, theologians and nuns

In 1969, Fulton Sheen visited Ireland He had been effectively cancelled for his outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War, which was a backing of Pope Paul VI's position He then doubled down on his counter cultural positions, telling reporters in Dublin: 'This is a testing time for Catholics. Doctrines that were defined before did not affect the daily lives of people as much as Humanae Vitae does. ​I am firmly behind him. I do not believe we should live in a world where people are always picking up a violin and bow, and never producing music. I can't conceive for farmers sowing seed and tearing it up. There would never be a harvest'

In 1961, Archbishop Fulton Sheen attended the celebrations for the 1,500th anniversary of the death of Saint Patrick He is pictured here in Dublin, with then Taoiseach and 1916 rebel Seán Lemass at the other end of the photo

Blessed Fulton Sheen is remembered today as a strong opponent of Communism and defender of traditional values He is also remembered for his weekly TV audience of tens of millions Less talked about is the fact that he spent the last decade of his life in relative obscurity for his anti war stance during the Vietnam War Sheen had also been a vocal opponent of the Atomic Bombing of Japanese civilians, many of them Catholic, in 1945 When asked why he never became a Cardinal, Sheen later said: 'I refused to pay the price. I felt it would be disloyalty to my own principles, and I think to Christian practice' Sheen faced a massive public backlash for his opposition to Vietnam, he was accused of being weak and a Communist sympathiser One newspaper report in the late 60s described him as a 'fallen hero' Nonetheless, he stuck to his principles

'You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a loyal son of the Church' Pope John Paul II to Fulton Sheen in 1979 Sheen died two months later

POLAND 🇵🇱 • 3 priests, 2 lay people stabbed • 1 priest dead • Priest was murdered while hearing confessions • 31 year old Ukrainian who travelled over border from Germany has been arrested • A nun reported 'The man who barged in with a knife simply started killing. It was a random man. We don’t know him. He looked like a madman, in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, even though it was cold today'

POLAND 🇵🇱 Polish President Donald Tusk has released a statement on social media in the wake of the slaughter of priests in Jarosław: 'The murderer from Jarosław is in the hands of the Polish Police. Procedures are ongoing. The perpetrator is a Ukrainian citizen. He will be punished with the full severity of Polish law. I join the loved ones of the victims of this brutal attack in their grief'

POLAND 🇵🇱 Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has released a statement on social media after a Ukrainian crossed from Germany to Poland and murdered two priests, stabbing others also at a Benedictine Abbey: 'A horrific crime at the Benedictine Sisters' Abbey in Jarosław, committed by a Ukrainian citizen. We are shaken by this evil. According to the information available so far, a Catholic priest was killed and several other people were injured. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. We wish all those injured a speedy recovery. The perpetrator of this evil must bear full responsibility in accordance with the law. We count on a swift and thorough investigation of all the circumstances. It is painful that people are capable of such evil crimes. Justice must be done'

In late February 1953, Irish American and anti Communist Archbishop Fulton Sheen retold the death of Julius Caesar to an audience of millions, substituting Caesar with Josef Stalin and other Soviet leadere He finished by saying 'Stalin must one day meet his judgement' Days later, Stalin took a heart attack and died soon after

In 1936, Fulton Sheen visited Ireland's National Seminary in Maynooth Sheen sent a WARNING about the Communist threat that was looming across Europe ​'The world of the future will have only two capitals, Moscow and Rome; only two temples, the Kremlin and St. Peter's; two tabernacles, the Eucharist and the rotted body of Lenin; two sanctuary lamps, the Red Flag and the Eucharistic; two hymns, the Panis Angelicus and the Internationale. ​ But there can be only one victory. If Christ wins we win and if Christ loses—but Christ cannot lose'

IRELAND 🇮🇪 Fulton Sheen preaching in Croghan, Roscommon This was the birthplace of his grandmother, Mary Fulton

Two priests are now dead after this morning's attack on priests in Poland https://www.catholicarena.com/latest/polandabbey240926

'Ireland is the greatest country of all for peace, prosperity and everything' Fulton Sheen

🚨 🇵🇱 A Ukrainian has MURDERED a Catholic priest in Poland and STABBED four others at the Benedictine Abbey in Jarosław

On the occasion of the beatification of one of the 20th century's greatest Irish Americans, we present a speech that he gave in Dublin in 1976 He spoke about how the Irish kept the church alive in China under Communism 'In China there is no organised Church. The underground Church exists solely through the Legion of Mary' https://www.catholicarena.com/latest/fultonsheenlegionofmary

Arguably the 20th Century's two most influential Catholics, Pope John Paul II and Padre Pio, not only met one another but established a spiritual bond that culminated with the former canonising the latter in 2002 A young Karol Wojtyła attended Pio's Mass in 1948 and also confession with the famous friar In 1962, Bishop Wojtyła attended the Second Vatican Council He had received word of a mother of four from Poland, a concentration camp survivor, who had cancer Wojtyła had a letter hand delivered to Pio, asking for him to pray for the woman to have healing Pio said 'I cannot say not to this one. Keep this letter' to Angelo Battisti, who had delivered the letter At a scan a few days later, it was revealed that her tumour had completely disappeared Wojtyła wrote again to Pio and thanked him a few weeks later: We give thanks to God and also to you, Venerable Father. 'I express my sincere thanks on behalf of the lady, her husband and the whole family. In Christ, Karol Wojtyla, Capitular Bishop of Krakow' Pope John Paul II canonised Padre Pio in 2002

VATICAN 🇻🇦 Members of 'Priests against Genocide' demonstrated today at the entrance to the Vatican and carried the names of 300 children who have died in Lebanon and Gaza

🚨🇫🇷President of France Emmanuel Macron will NOT attend ANY of Pope Leo XIV's masses in France this week

🚨🇫🇷French President Emmanuel Macron has invited the heads of state and government from the rest of the European Union to Metz to hear Pope Leo XIV's speech about Europe The speech will take place at a centre dedicated to Venerable Robert Schuman, the EU founder who is on the path to sainthood