The fragmentation in the media makes it unlike that even a priest of Bishop Sheen’s zeal and intensity would be invited to have a national radio or television show. There’s so many diverse sources of media, and regular television shows are not watched as universally as during Sheen’s time.
In Treasure in Clay, Sheen demonstrates how he is a man of many ideas to help get out a Catholic message. In the chapter, “The Bishop in a Diocese,” Sheen writes of his plan to what looks like, instead of printing a stand-alone Catholic newspaper, take out a monthly one-page ad in the local secular newspapers to print a “mini-paper” with different categories, thus reaching a wider audience. The plan did not go through because the Catholic paper had a long-term printing contract, according to Sheen.
Today, he undoubtedly would have harnessed the New Media. I’m sure he would have had a blog, since he was such a prolific writer, and almost certainly a podcast or video podcast. He would still publish his many books, of course, but he’d have a varied media apostolate.
If he were alive today, what do you think would be Bishop Sheen’s primary method of spreading the Gospel?
I think Archbishop Sheen would have his own TV and radio stations if he was alive today.
First, thanks for recommending this book. I was delighted to find it in my home library.
I think Bishop Sheen would have used all of the available technology if he was alive today. He would have a facebook fan page, a blog, and a podcast which would probably contain his daily homilies. He would probably even create a phone app of some kind too.
I love the idea of an Iphone app for Sheen! I’m just sure he would be a Mac person.