Today, September 24, 2026, is a historic day for Catholics as Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is beatified. His remarkable ability to communicate timeless truths with clarity, wit, and warmth has inspired generations of Catholics, and his writings have had a profound influence on my own faith.
As the Church celebrates Blessed Fulton Sheen, I wanted to revisit this post and share some of my favorite passages from his beautiful book, The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God. May his wisdom help us grow in love for the Blessed Mother and, through her, draw ever closer to Jesus Christ.
Archbishop Sheen once said, “God does not love us because we are valuable. We are valuable because God loves us.” His wit and wisdom always brings me comfort and keeps my intellect sharp as well. I believe that Sheen’s close relationship with God is a major factor in allowing him to write about the faith in such a way that draws others [like myself] deeper to the Truth of the Gospel.
A few years ago, I wrote an article for Catholicstand.com called Mary—Perfect Reflection of Christ’s Light and the American bishop provided to be a great inspiration on this subject. Below I want to share inspirational and rich theological quotes from Sheen’s The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God. I hope you find his words both enjoyable to read and insightful to the Catholic faith!
- “She existed in the Divine Mind as an Eternal Thought before there were any mothers. She is the Mother of mothers—she is the world’s first love.”
- “The mark of man is initiative, but the mark of woman is cooperation. Man talks about freedom; woman about sympathy, love, sacrifice. Man cooperates with nature; woman cooperates with God. Man was called to till the earth, to “rule over the earth”; woman to be the bearer of a life that comes from God.”
- “The Gospels did not start the Church; the Church started the Gospels. The Church did not come out of the Gospels; the Gospels came out of the Church.”
- “As Eden was the Paradise of Creation, Mary is the Paradise of the Incarnation, and in her as a Garden were celebrated the first nuptials of God and man.”
- “The love of God is reflected in the soul of the just, as the light of the sun is magnified by a mirror. So Mary’s Son is the Sun; for she is the moon.”
- “God, Who made the sun, also made the moon. The moon does not take away from the brilliance of the sun. The moon would be only a burnt-out cinder floating in the immensity of space, were it not for the sun. All its light is reflected from the sun. The Blessed Mother reflects her Divine Son; without Him, she is nothing. With Him, she is the Mother of Men. On dark nights we are grateful for the moon; when we see it shining, we know there must be a sun. So in this dark night of the world when men turn their backs on Him Who is the Light of the World, we look to Mary to guide their feet while we await the sunrise.”
Blessed Fulton Sheen had a remarkable gift for making the mysteries of the Catholic faith both understandable and beautiful. His words about Mary remind us that authentic devotion to the Blessed Mother never ends with her; like the moon reflecting the light of the sun, Mary always points us toward her Son.
As we celebrate Sheen’s beatification, may his witness inspire us to seek Christ with the same joy, conviction, and love that marked his life. Blessed Fulton Sheen, pray for us!
Related Links
Blessed Fulton J. Sheen: His beatification in photos
10 books by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen to add to your reading list – Catholic Review
