TRUSTEES OF SAINT PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL TO SEEK APPEAL

            After careful review, the Trustees of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, which has responsibility to oversee the administration of both the Cathedral and archdiocesan cemeteries, believe that the recent court case concerning the earthly remains of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was again incorrectly decided, and will seek an appeal of that decision along with a stay on moving the remains while the appellate court considers the case.

            At issue in the case, as the appellate court noted in its reversal of the trial court’s original decision, is what were Archbishop’s Sheen’s personal wishes concerning his final resting place.  As Trustees, it is our responsibility to respect those wishes, and we believe that this most recent decision once again fails to consider those wishes and instead relies on the speculation and conjecture of others. 

            It should go without saying that we continue to fervently pray that, if it be God’s will, we will soon see the beatification and canonization of Archbishop Sheen, and hope that his Cause, which could have been progressing without interruption, will be resumed and brought to fruition without further delay.