Msgr. Stanley Deptula, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation in Peoria, said it was "not a coincidence that the Church would render its decision on the heroic virtue of Archbishop Sheen on the same day as the Supreme Court issues its decision on the health care plan."

He said the timing of the announcement shows how the Church in the United States "needs heroes" and that Sheen can "be an inspiration and a consolation to our bishops and other Church leaders" since he was "a man of courage, and priest of prayer."

The decree issued by the Congregation for Saints' Causes and signed by Pope Benedict XVI said Sheen should be considered venerable because he heroically lived Christian virtues.

In general, the Church must then confirm two miracles before sainthood is declared. The first miracle is needed for beatification and the second for canonization.

The decree came just more than 13 months after Jenky, as head of Sheen's home diocese, presented Pope Benedict with two thick volumes about the life of the prelate.

Sheen, who was born in Illinois in 1895 and died in New York in 1979, was an Emmy-winning televangelist. His program, Life is Worth Living, aired in the United States from 1951 to 1957.

Last September, a tribunal of inquiry was sworn in to investigate the allegedly miraculous healing of a newborn whose parents had prayed to the archbishop's intercession.

"We are all living through this wonderful moment," said Andrea Ambrosi, postulator of the cause for canonization of Sheen.

"As you can tell, the cause is taking a special road — and quite quickly thus far. This is due to the importance of this cause for Fulton Sheen's sainthood to the American Church and all the faithful. We hope to go on with continued momentum," she said.

Fr. Andrew Apostoli, a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal from New York who is vice postulator, said he was "excited by this news."

He similarly noted the significance of the announcement falling on the same day as the Supreme Court decision on health care law, pointing out that Sheen was a "great leader of the faith, a defender of the freedom of religion and of our rights as Americans."

He said Sheen "certainly had much to say in defending religious freedom — not just in our country but around the world."

Jenky announced that he will celebrate a public Mass of Thanksgiving to honour Sheen Sept. 9 in Peoria's Cathedral of St. Mary — the same cathedral where the archbishop was ordained to the priesthood.