Venerable Fulton J. Sheen · 1895–1979
Venerable Fulton Sheen Quotes
Sheen wrote more than sixty books and broadcast to millions, so unlike the medieval saints there is a documented record for almost everything he said. He is quoted accurately more often than most — and he is recent enough that the sources are checkable.
On suffering
Sheen returned to suffering more than any other subject, and refused to make it comfortable.
“The Cross is the Christian's book of life, the science of the saints, the school of wisdom.”
“Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is timing — it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.”
On truth and the modern world
His best-known line is about tolerance, and it is routinely quoted by people on both sides of whatever argument is running.
“Right is right if nobody is right, and wrong is wrong if everybody is wrong.”
“There are not more than a hundred people in the world who truly hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church.”
On love and marriage
Three to Get Married is the book most often quoted from, and the one still in print.
“Love is a mutual self-giving which ends in self-recovery.”
“It takes three to make love, not two: you, your spouse, and God.”
Quotes wrongly attributed to Fulton Sheen
These circulate widely under Fulton Sheen's name and are not his. They are listed here so you do not put one in a homily, a bulletin or a citation.
“Hearing nuns' confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn.”
Widely attributed to Sheen and genuinely funny, but no source in his published work or broadcasts has been produced. It circulates in several forms and is also credited to other clergy.
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