A WORD WITH BISHOP SHEEN: A Memory Reignited Nearly 49 Years Later

Some memories never leave us. They simply wait for the right moment to come alive again.

The beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on September 24, 2026, brought one of the most cherished memories of my young Salesian years vividly back to life.

On February 12, 1978, I was a 24-year-old Salesian seminarian when I had the extraordinary privilege of spending time with Archbishop Sheen at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. Several of my Salesian confreres and I had the privilege of serving at his Mass.

It was a day I have never forgotten.

Before I ever spoke with Bishop Sheen, however, I watched him pray.

One of the photographs I took that day captures Archbishop Sheen shortly before Mass, alone in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. For me, that photograph says something that words cannot fully express.

The man whose voice had reached millions through radio and television, whose books had influenced countless lives, and whose preaching had made him one of the most recognizable Catholic figures in America, was, in that moment, simply a priest before Christ in the Eucharist.

That image has remained with me for nearly five decades.

And then came the opportunity to speak with him.

In the days leading up to that encounter, I had spoken with my close friend Pio about what question I should ask Bishop Sheen if I had the opportunity.

Pio and I had met two years earlier, in 1976, when we were both studying at Don Bosco College in Newton, New Jersey. At the time, Pio was studying to become a Capuchin Franciscan, while I was a young Salesian seminarian. Our friendship began during those years and has endured for five decades.

Today, that friend is Father Pio Mandato, a hermit in Pennsylvania and a blood relative of the great Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Father Pio remains a close friend, and we continue to be in contact several times each week.

As a young seminarian preparing for an encounter with Bishop Sheen, we discussed what question would be worthy of asking him. Together, we settled on a simple but profound question:

“In your opinion, what does Our Lord expect of a seminarian?” 

I eventually found the courage to ask it.

Bishop Sheen's answer would remain with me for the rest of my life:

“Very simply, to be another Christ.”

Those words became the heart of the article that followed.

At the time, I could not have imagined that my encounter with Bishop Sheen would become one of my first published articles. I had previously written several pieces as a young seminarian for the Saint Dominic Savio newsletter at the request of my friend and Salesian confrere, Brother Jerry Harasym, SDB.

But this encounter with Bishop Sheen became one of my first published articles in the Salesian Bulletin.

The article appeared in the November-December 1978 issue, Volume 32, under the simple title, “A Word with Bishop Sheen.”

Nearly 49 years later, reading those words again is a deeply moving experience.

THE ENDURING INFLUENCE OF BISHOP SHEEN

A Lifelong Devotion to Bishop Sheen

My encounter with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in 1978 was not an isolated moment in my life. For nearly half a century, I have remained a devoted reader and admirer of this extraordinary priest, whose writings have continued to inform my faith, deepen my understanding of the spiritual life, and challenge me to reflect more seriously on the responsibilities we carry toward others.

In my home office, I keep a collection of some of my favorite books by Bishop Sheen, among them Justice and Charity, The World's First Love: Mary, Mother of God, The Electronic Christian, Peace of Soul, and Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen. Each has offered its own insights into faith, human nature, and our relationship with God. Two works, in particular, have remained lifelong companions: Life of Christ and The Priest Is Not His Own.

During my most recent trip to China, I brought Life of Christ with me and read it again, for the second time. Returning to its pages in a different place and at a different stage of life offered another opportunity to contemplate the life, suffering, and redemptive mission of Our Lord. The Priest Is Not His Own has also been especially meaningful to me. Although Bishop Sheen wrote about the sacred responsibilities of the priesthood, I have long reflected on a broader lesson in its title: that our lives are not merely about ourselves. We belong to something greater than our individual ambitions or interests. For the Christian, that means a life directed toward Christ and the service of others; for the American, it can also mean recognizing a responsibility to the common good, the dignity of our fellow citizens, and the enduring principles that bind a nation together.

From “Another Christ” to the Person Behind the Uniform

Over the years, I have increasingly reflected on Bishop Sheen's words, “Very simply, to be another Christ,” and their continuing relevance to my own work. My vocation took a different direction from the one I envisioned as a young Salesian seminarian, but the question of how we serve others, how we treat people, and what kind of example we leave behind has never lost its importance. Today, through my work with law enforcement officers and first responders, I seek to encourage the ethical leadership, character, compassion, empathy, and moral courage that give meaning to the responsibilities entrusted to those who protect and serve.

The uniform represents a profound responsibility, but behind every uniform is a human being—someone who experiences personal struggles, carries burdens that others may never see, and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Through my principles of 21st-century policing and my emphasis on the human encounter, I encourage officers to recognize the person behind every interaction, to offer reassurance rather than indifference, encouragement rather than discouragement, and affirmation rather than humiliation. When I address explicitly Catholic audiences at retreats, Communion breakfasts, and other faith-centered gatherings, I can speak directly about Christ, the Gospel, and the spiritual foundations of service. 

In audiences representing a broader range of beliefs, I emphasize the universal virtues of character, integrity, compassion, respect, and human dignity. The language may differ according to the audience, but the underlying responsibility remains: to lift others up, to recognize their humanity, and to leave people better than we found them.

Perhaps, in this way, the words Bishop Sheen shared with a young seminarian nearly five decades ago continue to find expression in an unexpected setting. What began as a question about the expectations of Our Lord for a seminarian has become, for me, a lifelong reflection on the responsibility each of us carries to live with purpose, serve with humility, and bring something of what is good, uplifting, and life-affirming into the lives of others.

The friendship with Pio has endured as well. His mother, Graziella DeNunzio Mandato, authored the beautiful book Padre Pio: Encounters with a Spiritual Daughter from Pietrelcina, and Father Pio wrote the foreword to the second edition.

Looking back, there is something deeply beautiful about that February day in 1978.

Two young seminarians who had become friends at Don Bosco College in 1976 were discussing an encounter with one of the most influential Catholic voices of the twentieth century. We carefully considered what to ask him.

And the question we chose produced an answer that has remained with me for nearly five decades.

The recent beatification of Fulton J. Sheen has reignited that memory in a way I could never have anticipated. What was once simply a treasured personal encounter has now become part of the historical record of my own Salesian vocation and, in a small way, my journey of faith.

The photographs have survived. The old Salesian Bulletin has survived. And so have the words.

Perhaps most importantly, the answer has survived:

“Very simply, to be another Christ.”

What follows is the article as it appeared in the Salesian Bulletin in 1978, written by a 24-year-old Salesian seminarian who could not have known where the journey would lead.

A WORD WITH BISHOP SHEEN by Vincent J. Bove

“Bishop Sheen, would it be all right if I take a picture of you standing with my Salesian Brothers?”

And so began a delightful and unforgettable experience which six Salesian seminarians had with Archbishop Fulton Sheen at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey, on February 12, 1978.

Archbishop Sheen has always greatly impressed me. He is the author of 62 books. He has preached 22 years of radio on “The Catholic Hour” along with having his own network television show. The Archbishop also edited two magazines and has written many newspaper columns. He was the National Director of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith. He is known and respected throughout the world for his lectures and philosophical writings. At 82, he remains one of the most sought after, eloquent, and effective spokesmen for the Catholic Church in the world today. A man of God, a priest of Jesus Christ, Archbishop Sheen has inspired many souls to unite themselves with the Lord. As an instrument of the Lord, Archbishop Sheen makes peace between God and His people.

When he asked if enough light existed for a good picture, it greatly impressed me. This simple and considerate gesture gave me the courage to ask a second question, this one of even greater importance to us all.

“In your opinion,” I asked, “what does Our Lord expect of a seminarian?”

Silently, all in the sacristy listened as the Archbishop responded with an answer which seemed to touch the hearts of all.

“Very simply, to be another Christ. We have social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists. And we have plenty of them. But we need people to be Christ-like. And we must be like Christ in everything we say and do.

“When I was recently in the hospital and dying, about 14 different doctors would come to see me each day. They were coming to speak to me and perhaps to see in me, one who knew how to suffer. At one point, I was very weak and I faintly heard a nurse say that the man in the room with me was about to die. All I could do was lift my little finger, make the sign of the cross with it, and give this man absolution. Later, I was told by a friend of the dead man’s Jewish wife, that the wife did not grieve because she knew that Archbishop Sheen had given her dying husband his blessing.

“When I spoke to Mother Teresa, I asked her, ‘How did you convert 15,000 people in Calcutta?’ Mother Teresa said, ‘They would say to me, “Are you like Christ?”’ She told me she would say, ‘No, but I try to be like him.’ Then they would ask, ‘Is Christ like you?’ ‘No,’ she would answer. ‘He tries to be like you.’ And this is when they said, ‘Then I must be a Christian.’

“We must let Christ live within us and remember St. Paul who writes, ‘It is not I but Christ who lives in me.’

“When Moses came down from the mountain, the glory of God shone in his face. The people realized how close he was to God. And the people know when we have the light within us too.”

After these few inspiring words from the Archbishop, Bro. John Roche presented him with a drawing of his own, portraying Christ crowned with thorns. Archbishop Sheen gratefully said, “I’m glad that you portrayed Christ in the realm of his suffering. Continue to portray him in this realm. It was Pascal who said, ‘Christ will be on the cross till the end of the world.’”

Then the Archbishop gently excused himself and prayed before the Blessed Sacrament before Mass began.

Originally published in the November-December 1978 issue of the Salesian Bulletin, Volume 32.

Written by Vincent Bove following his encounter with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on February 12, 1978, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey.

Nearly five decades later, the memory remains.

About the Author

Vincent J. Bove is a nationally recognized authority on ethical leadership, violence prevention, and law enforcement resiliency.

A sought-after speaker and prolific author, his work has influenced agencies and institutions across the United States for more than 25 years.

Bove has authored more than 400 published articles and four books addressing critical issues in public safety, leadership, and moral courage. 

His book Reawakening America© was named a finalist for ASIS International’s Book of the Year. Listen to Their Cries© was selected and sponsored for distribution to all attendees—students representing institutions from across the United States—at the National Conference on Ethics in America by the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic at the United States Military Academy, at the request of a coalition of West Point graduates involved in the conference.

He was appointed the first-ever Honorary Law Enforcement Motivational Speaker by the New York City Police Department, conducting leadership and resiliency initiatives across all five boroughs of New York City.

Bove is also the author of more than seventy articles published in Law Officer, a national publication serving law enforcement professionals across the United States. His work emphasizes ethical leadership, preventive strategies, officer resilience, and the preservation of public trust in modern policing—drawing on American history and enduring leadership traditions to reinforce the importance of character, accountability, and moral courage.

He is a trusted voice at Federal Bureau of Investigation venues, United States Military Academy, and numerous U.S. military facilities. A longtime author for the National Association of Chiefs of Police, he has written 18 cover stories and contributed to shaping national law enforcement dialogue through feature articles and reports.

“Vincent J. Bove is considered one of the foremost national experts on school and workplace violence prevention, specializing in facility protection, evacuations, terrorism prevention, and leadership training.” — U.S. Senate

PHOTO: Vincent J. Bove conducting an ethical leadership, morale, and resiliency initiative at the NYPD 75th Precinct, Brooklyn, August 13, 2026. (Photo by NYPD Officer Justin Constantino for RALLC)

PHOTOS:

PHOTO 1 — BISHOP SHEEN AT PRAYER

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament shortly before Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey, February 12, 1978. Photograph taken by Vincent J. Bove.

PHOTO 2

Vincent J. Bove and Pio Mandato (now Father Pio Mandato), circa 1978, during their years at Don Bosco College in Newton, New Jersey. (RALLC Collection)

PHOTO 3 — A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH BISHOP SHEEN

Vincent J. Bove, SDB, with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen following Mass on February 12, 1978 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. 

Vincent is holding his handwritten notes from the cassette-tape collection of Sheen’s retreat conferences which he listened to and studied during his novitiate, titled "Renewal and Reconciliation — Retreat Conferences by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen."  Sheen signed Vincent’s notes during their encounter.

This photo was framed in Vincent’s mother’s (Marie J. Scaramuzzo) office for decades while she served as Director of Admitting at Nyack Hospital in New York.

The photo helped to initiate many uplifting conversations about the faith when individuals were being admitted to the hospital.