Pope Leo XIV Holds Audiences with Several Prominent U.S. Bishops Including the USCCB President and Receives a Relic of Blessed Fulton Sheen
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On October 5, 2026, Pope Leo XIV met in audience several prominent bishops from the United States. He received a relic of Blessed Fulton Sheen from Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria Diocese.
The Holy Father met with Archbishop Paul Stagg Coakley of Oklahoma City, United States of America, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, with Bishop Daniel Ernest Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president; Msgr. Michael J. K. Fuller, general secretary; and the Reverend Paul B. R. Hartmann, associate general secretary.
He held separate audiences with Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, United States of America; and Archbishop Thomas Gerard Wenski of Miami, United States of America.
On October 1; the pope met with Bishop Robert Barron who ordained 18 deacons from the Pontifical North American College in Rome. On September 30, 2026, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, delivered the keynote address at the "America at 250" event hosted by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See in Rome.
The Church is marking the anniversary with a major global gathering at the Vatican from October 7 to 14, 2026; ten years after Pope Francis published the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia. "Ten Years After 'Amoris Laetitia': Proclaiming the Gospel With Families Today" was convened by Pope Leo XIV. More than 150 bishops, presidents of world episcopal conferences, heads of Eastern Catholic Churches, and 11 married couples representing five continents are expected. U.S. Bishops attending are Archbishop Coakley, Bishop Flores, Cardinal Blase Cupich (Archbishop of Chicago) – personally selected by Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert McElroy (Bishop of San Diego) also personally selected by the pope, Cardinal Joseph Tobin (Archbishop of Newark) – again selected by Pope Leo.
Statement from Bishop Louis Tylka, Diocese of Peoria, Regarding the presentation of the Blessed Fulton Sheen Relic:
“It was a profound joy and privilege to meet with our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and to
present him with a relic of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen on behalf of the Diocese of Peoria and
all those who have prayed for and supported Archbishop Sheen’s Cause. There is a
beautiful tradition in the Catholic Church of presenting the Holy Father with the relics of
the saints and blesseds, and this particular moment carried special meaning for me. Pope
Leo XIV has spoken of Archbishop Sheen on several occasions and has expressed his
appreciation for Archbishop Sheen’s extraordinary witness of faith, his ability to proclaim
the Gospel through the means of communication available in his time, and his missionary
heart. In the days surrounding the Beatification, the Holy Father again pointed to
Archbishop Sheen as an example of finding new ways to spread the Gospel.
I am deeply grateful for the Holy Father’s interest in Blessed Fulton Sheen and for his support that allowed us to celebrate this long-awaited Beatification. To place a relic of this son of the Diocese of Peoria into the hands of the first American pope, both of whom are from Illinois, was an especially moving moment. My hope is that this relic will serve as a reminder of who Fulton Sheen was and of the mission he embraced so completely: to bring Jesus Christ to the world. The Holy Father’s own interest in Archbishop Sheen reminds us that his witness continues to speak to the Church today and challenges all of us to proclaim the Gospel with the same conviction and joy.”
I am deeply grateful for the Holy Father’s interest in Blessed Fulton Sheen and for his support that allowed us to celebrate this long-awaited Beatification. To place a relic of this son of the Diocese of Peoria into the hands of the first American pope, both of whom are from Illinois, was an especially moving moment. My hope is that this relic will serve as a reminder of who Fulton Sheen was and of the mission he embraced so completely: to bring Jesus Christ to the world. The Holy Father’s own interest in Archbishop Sheen reminds us that his witness continues to speak to the Church today and challenges all of us to proclaim the Gospel with the same conviction and joy.”
Source - https://files.constantcontact.com/e48c6131901/0cadca6b-6444-4fcd-adec-48ee0d76b8fc.pdf
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