The Blog

Cheryl Hughes’ new biography of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, Sheen’s enduring legacy, and the reimagined Spalding Institute of Peoria, Illinois, Sheen’s alma mater.

by Marge Hynes, Writer

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I grew up in two very different classrooms of music: one in a church pew, the other on a living room floor.

Sunday mornings were steeped in incense and Latin—the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, where the priest faced east and sacred silence was tangible. Weekday afternoons, however, were reserved for American Idol reruns at my neighbor’s house. Her grandma would make popcorn, and I’d sit cross-legged on the carpet, wide-eyed as young singers stepped into the spotlight. Amid pop ballads and dramatic eliminations, I remember being especially moved by contestants who spoke openly about their faith—Colton Dixon and Lauren Daigle come to mind.