beatification FAQ

Ticket Questions

  • Tickets may be reserved online at celebratesheen.com.

  • No. Tickets will also be required for events surrounding the Beatification, including:

    Each event will have its own registration information listed online.

  • Visit www.celebratesheen.com and you will be redirected.  Lay persons and those attending the Beatification can purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.  There is a special portal for priests, deacons, religious, and seminarians who will be seated on the floor.

  • Tickets are being used to help organizers safely and thoughtfully accommodate the large number of pilgrims expected to attend the Beatification and surrounding events. Requiring tickets will help ensure the best possible experience for attendees while considering venue capacity and logistics.

  • There is a cost for the ticket to the Mass of Beatification. As the ticket vendor for the Dome, Ticketmaster charges service fees.  Charging for tickets covers the fees and allows us to offset lower costs for priests, seminarians and religious. Additional information regarding ticketing policies and any associated event costs will be available on the registration page at celebratesheen.com.

  • The Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation has worked with Ticketmaster to prevent private individuals from purchasing large blocks of tickets of more than 10 at a time.  This is to ensure tickets for the Beatification are available to as many people as possible.

  • Large group requests must be processed manually.  Those wishing to purchase more than 10 tickets should submit a group request to info@celebratesheen.com.  Tickets will be distributed according to availability.  Requests will be reviewed in the order that they are received.  Because of the high demand, it may not be possible to honor all group requests.  Please allow several days for group requests to be reviewed.

  • If you have a child 2 years and under that will not use a seat, they do not need a ticket.

  • Yes.  Contact Ticketmaster to request seating for the hard of hearing.

  • Yes. Additional tickets may become available as plans continue to develop and group ticketing is completed. We encourage you to check celebratesheen.com regularly for updates and any future ticket releases.

  • Everyone with a ticket can access the expo which opens at 8 AM.

  • Everyone with a ticket can access the adoration chapel which opens at 9 AM.

  • Everyone with a ticket can access the confession chapel which opens at 9 AM.

  • In addition to the Beatification in St. Louis, the Sheen Awards Gala in Peoria requires a purchased ticket.  Vespers, Holy Hours and Masses on the Official Sheen Pilgrimage schedule require a ticket which can be reserved at no cost.

  • There is a charge only for the Beatification and the Sheen Awards Gala.

  • The Vespers in St. Louis is a limited event.  Selected guests will be invited to request a free ticket through www.celebratesheen.com.

  • The ceremony for the Beatification will take place in St. Louis on Thursday, September 24th.

    Several events are planned in Peoria for the days leading up to the Beatification and for the days following.  Everyone is encouraged to plan a visit to Peoria to pray before the tomb of the future Blessed, and to join in the preparatory events and the Masses of Thanksgiving that will surround this special celebration.

    More detailed information about the full schedule in Peoria and St. Louis will be announced soon.

Beatification Mass Questions

  • The choice of St. Louis as the site for the Beatification was driven by the desire to include the largest number of people possible.  The largest venue in Peoria would not allow more than 15,000 people to participate, whereas the Dome in St. Louis hosted the Papal visit of Pope St. John Paul II in 1999 with more than 100,000 people present.  Since St. Louis is within reasonable driving distance from Peoria, this was seen as an ideal way of accommodating the many people throughout the United States, and even around the world, who have looked forward to sharing in the joy of this celebration.

  • The Rite of Beatification takes place at the beginning of the Beatification Mass.  After a brief biography of the new Blessed is read, the Cardinal who serves as the Papal Representative, reads the Apostolic Letter of the Holy Father in Latin.  This letter, which grants the Servant of God the title of Blessed, is then repeated by a diocesan official in English.  After this declaration, the new image of the Blessed with a halo is revealed, and a relic is presented for veneration and is incensed.  Copies of the Pope’s Apostolic Letter are given to the local Bishop and selected guests.  After a Hymn of Thanksgiving, the Mass continues with the Collect (Opening Prayer) from the proper Mass of the new Blessed.  The Mass continues as normal.

  • Yes, ADA seating is available in Row U on the Concourse (100) level, Row J on the Club (300) level, and Row E on the Terrace (400) level. Tickets for seating in those rows are available via celebratesheen.com . If a guest cannot find available ADA tickets on any of those levels, they may contact the Dome box office accommodations line at 314-342-5155 for assistance.

  • Yes. Food and beverage concessions will be available for purchase throughout The Dome. Please note that The Dome is a cash-free venue.

  • For those taking part in the expo and adoration chapel, the distance within America’s Center to the Dome is approximately 1,000 feet. For those arriving at the Dome, elevators and escalators can take you easily to your ticketed concourse.  The concourse encircles the arena floor that is the size of a football field.  From your concourse level, no one needs to walk more than 1,000 feet to reach your ticketed section.

  • Yes, buses should register with our security team to arrange drop off and pickup.  Those with buses should contact info@celebratesheen.com to be put in contact with our security team.

  • The Dome does not have a parking lot, but public parking is available nearby.

    Pre-booking your parking is strongly recommended through St. Louis parking apps.

    Visitors should also consider the St. Louis MetroLink light rail.  The Convention Center stop is less than 500 feet from the Dome and is served by the red and blue lines.

  • Yes, there are Family Restrooms available on the Concourse (100), Club (300), and Terrace (400) levels.

  • Yes, there are Family Restrooms available on the Concourse (100), Club (300), and Terrace (400) levels. Additionally, all standard restrooms have ADA accessible stalls available in them.

  • Yes, guests should anticipate a walk from their parking structure or lot to reach the Dome. If someone in the party has mobility issues, please plan for them to bring a wheelchair or mobility scooter to assist their movement. 

  • Yes. For hard of hearing tickets, guests should contact the Dome box office accommodations line at 314-342-5155 for assistance.

  • A station for those requiring low gluten hosts will be made available on every level of the Dome.  Ushers will be able to give directions regarding the low gluten stations on the day of the Beatification.

HOTEL Questions

  • A variety of hotel accommodations in and around downtown St. Louis and the Peoria area have been secured for pilgrims attending the Mass of Beatification and other events surrounding the Mass.

    Hotel information and booking links can be found at celebratesheen.com. Because of the anticipated number of visitors, attendees are strongly encouraged to book hotel accommodations as early as possible.

Ways To Participate Questions

  • The Beatification ceremony will be broadcast and live-streamed for those who are not able to attend.

Priest Questions

  • Concelebrating priests will be seated on the floor of the arena and should register through the priest portal on celebratesheen.com.  According to the particular law in the United States, priests must present a letter of suitability before they will be issued a ticket.  Letters must be submitted to suitability@cdop.org.  Because of the large number of priests who will be present, letters of suitability must be presented in advance.  No tickets will be issued without a prior letter of suitability.  No letters of suitability will be accepted on the day of the event.  If any priest has difficulty obtaining a letter of suitability in advance, please contact the info@celebratesheen.com and we will reach out to your diocesan officials.

  • In accord with canon 903, any priest should ask his ordinary to present a letter of introduction, commonly called a letter of suitability in the United States.  This letter should identify the cleric and his diocese of incardination.  It should state that the priest is a person of good moral character and reputation; that he is not limited or disqualified from priestly ministry; and that nothing in his background would render him unsuitable to be around minor children.

  • Yes.  All tickets on the floor of the arena are $25.  This charge pays for the cost of the Dome, Ticketmaster, and mandatory security and labor charges.  Furthermore, the first 1,000 priests who register will receive a free Fulton Sheen chasuble designed for the ceremony.

  • A priest who does not intend to concelebrate can attend the Beatification by purchasing an ordinary ticket through Ticketmaster.

Deacon Questions

  • The same requirements apply to deacons who wish to vest as priests who wish to concelebrate.  Letters of suitability must be submitted to suitability@cdop.org before any tickets will be issued.

  • For permanent deacons who intend to vest for the ceremony, their wives can also be provided with a ticket on the floor of the arena.

  • Vested deacons will be seated on the floor and must purchase a $25 ticket.  This charge pays for the cost of the Dome, Ticketmaster, and mandatory security and labor charges.  Their wives who are seated on the floor must also purchase a $25 ticket.

  • Deacons (and their wives) may purchase ordinary tickets through Ticketmaster.

Lay Religious Questions

  • Lay religious are invited to sit in a reserved section on the floor of the arena.  Tickets will be issued after their request has been confirmed.  Thanks to the generosity of several donors, the cost of their discounted ticket has been paid for.  As several religious are likely to attend together, groups of more than 10 may be processed as a group.  Please contact info@celebratesheen.com.

  • Religious can be seated in the arena by purchasing ordinary tickets through Ticketmaster.  No discount applies for religious who wish to be seated in the ordinary seats at the Dome.

Seminarian Questions

  • Seminarians are invited to sit in a reserved section on the floor of the arena.  Tickets will be issued after their request has been confirmed.  A discounted rate of $12.50 applies to seminarians.  Seminarians who are able to attend a rehearsal on Wednesday afternoon before the Beatification will be invited to serve as Communion ushers to help direct the distribution of Communion at the Beatification.

  • Seminarians are still welcome to attend the Beatification and will be seated on the floor of the arena.

  • Seminarians can register individually through www.celebratesheen.com.  Tickets will be issued after their request has been confirmed.  At the request of seminary officials, a group of seminarians can be registered as a group and will receive group tickets.  Group requests should be submitted to info@celebratesheen.com.

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