ON OUR BLOG, we’ve often noted that sources do not agree as to whether Fulton J. Sheen could sing in tune. (See below.) However, at Fritz Kreisler’s suggestion, Sheen took organ lessons. His first teacher was Ethel Smith, a “swing” organist. Sheen acknowledged her prowess on the instrument but claimed her instructional ability was weak. He then turned to a young friend, Yolanda “Yo” Tomaiuoli, an accomplished musician who would go on to earn a doctorate in music at Columbia University. Tomaiuoli said later that Bishop Sheen “could play some” but that “his musical talents were limited.” According to Thomas C. Reeves, who published a biography of Sheen:1
“In the late 1950s and early 1960s,
Sheen played an electric Hammond
on the main floor of his building
for personal enjoyment, occasionally
displaying his skill to friends.”
I recall Sheen mentioning that very organ during one of his talks. (It was a presentation recorded at his home.)
Yolanda Tomaiuoli Holliger • Sheen introduced Yolanda Tomaiuoli to his cousin, Thomas Holliger. Thomas and Yolanda stayed close—remarkably close—to Bishop Sheen through the years, and an enormous number of photographs were taken of him with their family, especially pictures showing Bishop Sheen baptizing and confirming their children. (Sheen would read bedtime stories to their daughter in Latin.) Indeed, Thomas proposed to Yolanda in Sheen’s private chapel at his residence in New York, and the bishop conducted a solemn betrothal ceremony right then and there.
William Ferris • When Fulton J. Sheen was named Bishop of Rochester, New York, he told WILLIAM FERRIS (cathedral choirmaster and organist) that he wanted a classical repertoire at his cathedral, including Gregorian Chant. “This was unusual,” Ferris said later, “for all sorts of freaky things were being done in churches at this time.”
Ferris claimed that Sheen possessed “a tremendous knowledge of music and liturgy,” and promoted the development of a seminary choir at St. Bernard’s. On the other hand, Sheen often claimed that he “couldn’t carry a key on a ring.” He cites a seminary professor who insists he sang quite well, but says his memory must have been poor. The implication is that the seminary professor was saying nice things about his singing voice because of how famous Sheen became later in life. Or perhaps he genuinely had a poor memory.
Addendum:
David O’Donnell on Facebook says:
Anecdotally, organist Ralph Kneeream told me he played a funeral Mass in the 1950s for Fulton Sheen in NYC, and that not only was he friendly and down to earth, meeting Ralph with an outstretched hand and a “Hello, I’m Fulton,” but that he sang the whole Mass beautifully. Ralph said he had the most liturgical sensibility of any clergyman he had worked for, save one other.
1 The biography by Thomas C. Reeves is definitely worth reading, but is somewhat disappointing. Reeves seems incapable of discernment regarding sources, which is an “unforgivable sin” when it comes to writing a biography about one of the most famous men on the planet. Speaking of unforgivable sins, Reeves made the ghastly decision to use END NOTES instead of footnotes, and placed them in a section without any headers!
