CROWN HEIGHTS – In a digital era dominated by reels, reposts, and real-time streaming, the name Archbishop Fulton Sheen might seem like a relic from a bygone age, as he died in 1979 before algorithm-driven digital media became commonplace. 

But when it comes to the age of influencers, Archbishop Sheen’s model of media for the “new evangelization” stands the test of time.  

Back then, his prime-time television ratings outperformed stars like Frank Sinatra. In 2026, bite-sized clips of Archbishop Sheen’s sermons are going viral on TikTok. And to some Catholics, that’s exactly where he should be — and would have been, if he were around today. 

“Online Catholics have devotions to Fulton Sheen. He’s just kind of everywhere,” Robert Kern, a 35-year-old Catholic media creator from Indiana, best known as “Purely Catholic” on TikTok, told The Tablet. “Whenever you talk about Fulton Sheen online, it’s always going to get eyeballs on it because he’s changed so much.” 

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Kern, a convert who entered the Ukrainian Catholic Church in 2019 and attends Mass in the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, said the online fascination with Archbishop Sheen is ongoing. “Where’s his body going to end up? What’s his road to canonization? Will he ever be fully canonized?” he posed. “These are the questions that people have had and are still having today, years and years after he’s passed away.” 

Questions like those led Kern to do a deep dive into his newfound Catholic faith and to educate others about what he learned on TikTok. 

When asked whether Archbishop Sheen himself would have joined platforms like TikTok, Kern was unequivocal.  

“I think that he would undoubtedly be on TikTok because he was just a pioneer of all media platforms,” he said.  

Similarly, Alexa Acosta, a Catholic in the Diocese of Newark, knows what it is to go viral. A video of her sharing her birthday celebration at a restaurant with a young boy who shared her birth date amassed over 9 million views on TikTok in 2025. 

It was a viral moment of belonging for everyone.  

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Acosta also works for major beauty brands as a social media strategist and knows that capturing someone’s attention and creating positivity online isn’t easy. 

“We have so much today and an excess of resources at our fingertips, yet oftentimes we’re left feeling lonely and alone,” she told The Tablet. “He’s someone that would be a guiding light for those who have lost their way.” 

Although unlike Kern, Acosta’s posts are more secular in nature, she still sees a space for Archbishop Sheen’s past in TikTok trends present. 

“If I was scrolling TikTok late at night and Fulton Sheen came up on my ‘For You’ page, I think I would take it as a sign to sit and watch his word in its entirety,” she explained. “Like it wasn’t an accident and meant for me to watch.” 

Tony Correa, a New York City-based television actor, said Archbishop Sheen’s legacy resonates on a personal level. As his own path grows on-screen and on smart devices, Correa said it’s only sensible that someone like Archbishop Sheen would show up on TikTok if he could in 2026. 

“Growing up in a Catholic family, his name was known. I remember my grandmother would have ‘Life Is Worth Living’ on television,” he told The Tablet. “As an actor, you know of him. He was not only a bishop, but his show won an Emmy.” 

“I’d say for sure he would be on TikTok,” he added. “With social media today, I actually think he would have had a larger reach.”