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Remade for Happiness: Achieving Life's Purpose Through Spiritual Transformation
When asked, What's wrong with the world?, G.K. Chesterton famously replied simply, I am. People who reflect on life's problems find many of them of to be of their own making. We want to be happy and yet we often seem to be the source of our own unhappiness--as well as that of others. Even when that is not the case, our lives, as blessed as they may be, have their share of disappointments, shocks, and disillusionments. How do we respond? Do we become cynical and try at all costs to get as much pleasure as we can? Or do we recognize we were made for more?
In this classic work, Fulton Sheen explains the secret of authentic happiness: being spiritually remade. A genuinely spiritual life, Sheen contends, consists in more than obeying a set of commands, submitting to certain laws, reading the Bible, or even following the example of Jesus. Before all else, it consists in being re-created and incorporated into a new, higher kind of life--the supernatural life of grace--and brought into a new kind of spiritual relationship--as a child of God through Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to be a Christian? Christianity is not a system of ethics; it is a life. It is not good advice; it is Divine adoption. Being a Christian does not consist in being kind to the poor, going to Church, reading the Bible, singing hymns, being generous to relief agencies serving on Church committees, though it includes all of these. It is first and foremost a "love relationship.""
In this classic work, Fulton Sheen explains the secret of authentic happiness: being spiritually remade. A genuinely spiritual life, Sheen contends, consists in more than obeying a set of commands, submitting to certain laws, reading the Bible, or even following the example of Jesus. Before all else, it consists in being re-created and incorporated into a new, higher kind of life--the supernatural life of grace--and brought into a new kind of spiritual relationship--as a child of God through Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to be a Christian? Christianity is not a system of ethics; it is a life. It is not good advice; it is Divine adoption. Being a Christian does not consist in being kind to the poor, going to Church, reading the Bible, singing hymns, being generous to relief agencies serving on Church committees, though it includes all of these. It is first and foremost a "love relationship.""
208 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2014
21 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Fulton J. Sheen
521 books740 followersFulton John Sheen was an American bishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois, in 1919, Sheen quickly became a renowned theologian, earning the Cardinal Mercier Prize for International Philosophy in 1923. He went on to teach theology and philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and served as a parish priest before he was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York in 1951. He held this position until 1966 when he was made bishop of the Diocese of Rochester in New York. He resigned as bishop of Rochester in 1969 as his 75th birthday approached and was made archbishop of the titular see of Newport, Wales.
For 20 years as "Father Sheen", later monsignor, he hosted the night-time radio program The Catholic Hour on NBC (1930–1950) before he moved to television and presented Life Is Worth Living (1952–1957). Sheen's final presenting role was on the syndicated The Fulton Sheen Program (1961–1968) with a format that was very similar to that of the earlier Life Is Worth Living show. For that work, Sheen twice won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality, and was featured on the cover of Time magazine. Starting in 2009, his shows were being re-broadcast on the EWTN and the Trinity Broadcasting Network's Church Channel cable networks. His contribution to televised preaching resulted in Sheen often being called one of the first televangelists.
The cause for his canonization was officially opened in 2002. In June 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially recognized a decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints stating that he lived a life of "heroic virtues," a major step towards beatification, and he is now referred to as venerable. On July 5, 2019, Pope Francis approved a reputed miracle that occurred through the intercession of Sheen, clearing the way for his beatification. Sheen was scheduled to be beatified in Peoria on December 21, 2019, but his beatification was postponed after Bishop Salvatore Matano of Rochester expressed concern that Sheen's handling of a 1963 sexual misconduct case against a priest might be cited unfavorably in a forthcoming report from the New York Attorney General. The Diocese of Peoria countered that Sheen's handling of the case had already been "thoroughly examined" and "exonerated" and that Sheen had "never put children in harm's way".
For 20 years as "Father Sheen", later monsignor, he hosted the night-time radio program The Catholic Hour on NBC (1930–1950) before he moved to television and presented Life Is Worth Living (1952–1957). Sheen's final presenting role was on the syndicated The Fulton Sheen Program (1961–1968) with a format that was very similar to that of the earlier Life Is Worth Living show. For that work, Sheen twice won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality, and was featured on the cover of Time magazine. Starting in 2009, his shows were being re-broadcast on the EWTN and the Trinity Broadcasting Network's Church Channel cable networks. His contribution to televised preaching resulted in Sheen often being called one of the first televangelists.
The cause for his canonization was officially opened in 2002. In June 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially recognized a decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints stating that he lived a life of "heroic virtues," a major step towards beatification, and he is now referred to as venerable. On July 5, 2019, Pope Francis approved a reputed miracle that occurred through the intercession of Sheen, clearing the way for his beatification. Sheen was scheduled to be beatified in Peoria on December 21, 2019, but his beatification was postponed after Bishop Salvatore Matano of Rochester expressed concern that Sheen's handling of a 1963 sexual misconduct case against a priest might be cited unfavorably in a forthcoming report from the New York Attorney General. The Diocese of Peoria countered that Sheen's handling of the case had already been "thoroughly examined" and "exonerated" and that Sheen had "never put children in harm's way".
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 16, 2019
Pure gold <3
December 14, 2018
“Ja – Svjetlost – dođoh na svijet da nijedan koji u mene vjeruje u tami ne ostane.” (Iv 12,45)
October 13, 2019
A nice summary of the bare bones of the Catholic Faith, presented in an easy to read format. Definitely some heavy hitting quotes and analogies in here as well.
March 18, 2015
This book was originally published in 1946, but Ignatius Press has recently re-released it for our spiritual edification! There are fourteen chapters in this book. The first seven are questions Sheen asks and answers for us.
1. Are you happy?
2. What is God like?
3. What are you like?
4. How did you get that way?
5. Who can remake you?
6. Is religion purely individual?
7. How can you be remade (if you so choose to be remade)?
As you can see, there is a natural progression with the questions. The first question leads us to the realization that though we experience moments of happiness, we are not truly happy. If we were, then we wouldn't need to continue to look for happiness. The second question introduces to God, the One who can make us happy. We are then juxtaposed with God and it is explained why we are the way we are. Chapter Five brings God back into the picture and explains that we cannot remake ourselves. If we could, we would not need God. Six also strips away the pride of the individual letting us know that we cannot experience salvation alone. We need others to get to Heaven. That is why we have Mother Church. Then, in one of the longer chapters, Chapter Seven walks us through the process of being remade.
The next four chapters in this book walk us through the Four Last Things - Judgment, Purgatory, Hell, and Heaven. He explains that in our judgment, everything will be stripped away and we will be left to be judged by our choices. However, God will not be the one judging us. We will be judging ourselves by the life we lived. There will be no pleading or bargaining, merely the cold reality of truth. After this judgment, he explains so succinctly that there are three possible destinations. "Hell: Pain without Love; Purgatory: Pain with Love; and Heaven: Love without Pain." The final three chapters fittingly deal with faith, hope, and charity (or love).
I was born 3 years after Fulton Sheen's death, so I never had the opportunity to see or listen to him live. That doesn't mean I haven't watched or listened to almost all of his old programs, though. This book is classic Sheen and reads like he is there speaking the words to you. It is practical, straightforward theology without unnecessary words. Part of me is telling me to pass on my copy of this book to someone else, so they may gain from its riches. The other part of me is telling me to keep this book and reread it at least once more. You too might experience this conflict after you read it, so you better buy two!
1. Are you happy?
2. What is God like?
3. What are you like?
4. How did you get that way?
5. Who can remake you?
6. Is religion purely individual?
7. How can you be remade (if you so choose to be remade)?
As you can see, there is a natural progression with the questions. The first question leads us to the realization that though we experience moments of happiness, we are not truly happy. If we were, then we wouldn't need to continue to look for happiness. The second question introduces to God, the One who can make us happy. We are then juxtaposed with God and it is explained why we are the way we are. Chapter Five brings God back into the picture and explains that we cannot remake ourselves. If we could, we would not need God. Six also strips away the pride of the individual letting us know that we cannot experience salvation alone. We need others to get to Heaven. That is why we have Mother Church. Then, in one of the longer chapters, Chapter Seven walks us through the process of being remade.
The next four chapters in this book walk us through the Four Last Things - Judgment, Purgatory, Hell, and Heaven. He explains that in our judgment, everything will be stripped away and we will be left to be judged by our choices. However, God will not be the one judging us. We will be judging ourselves by the life we lived. There will be no pleading or bargaining, merely the cold reality of truth. After this judgment, he explains so succinctly that there are three possible destinations. "Hell: Pain without Love; Purgatory: Pain with Love; and Heaven: Love without Pain." The final three chapters fittingly deal with faith, hope, and charity (or love).
I was born 3 years after Fulton Sheen's death, so I never had the opportunity to see or listen to him live. That doesn't mean I haven't watched or listened to almost all of his old programs, though. This book is classic Sheen and reads like he is there speaking the words to you. It is practical, straightforward theology without unnecessary words. Part of me is telling me to pass on my copy of this book to someone else, so they may gain from its riches. The other part of me is telling me to keep this book and reread it at least once more. You too might experience this conflict after you read it, so you better buy two!
October 21, 2024
Great read. Extremely helpful book to help reframe the idea of happiness in life and how to position yourself mentally and spiritually to achieving happiness. It all starts with your relationship with the Lord.
February 1, 2024
Great book!😍 The book is an eye-opener, whether you are a Christian or not. I like that are given examples from everyday life, which makes easier to understand the more complex concepts mentioned in the book. Liked it so much that I had to get my own copy!
January 15, 2021
Moje je mišljenje da je ovo jako kvalitetna knjiga prepuna rečenica nad kojima se možemo zamisliti. Vrlo bogata i toliko su lijepo neke stvari u njoj objašnjene; o vjeri, o ljubavi, Crkvi.. Imam osjećaj kao da sam dosta pročitanoga i od prije znala, a opet nisam bila svjesna svega toga. Ova knjiga mi je dodatno otvorila oči i precizno pojasnila neke jako važne stvari za svakog čovjeka.
"Vjera je nadnaravna krjepost kojom, nadahnuti i potpomognuti Božjom milošću, vjerujemo da je istinito ono što je On objavio, ne zato što je istinitost tih stvari jasna samo uz pomoć razuma, već zbog Božjega autoriteta koji ne može prevariti ni biti prevaren." - preporučujem ovu knjigu svima upravo zato što je od Boga, a sve što je od Boga je dobro. Malo je reći "dobro".
"Vjera je nadnaravna krjepost kojom, nadahnuti i potpomognuti Božjom milošću, vjerujemo da je istinito ono što je On objavio, ne zato što je istinitost tih stvari jasna samo uz pomoć razuma, već zbog Božjega autoriteta koji ne može prevariti ni biti prevaren." - preporučujem ovu knjigu svima upravo zato što je od Boga, a sve što je od Boga je dobro. Malo je reći "dobro".
February 20, 2020
Fulton J. Sheen was definitely gifted with a penchant for metaphorical writing. He presents the fundamentals of Catholic/Christian faith in a convincing, clear and vivid manner. Strikingly memorable images.
He goes over the basics. I was hoping for something else, but I recognize that we're all in need of a refresher course time and time again. :)
He goes over the basics. I was hoping for something else, but I recognize that we're all in need of a refresher course time and time again. :)
January 2, 2021
Another wonderful, thought provoking read from Fulton Sheen!
December 31, 2020
I read this because it was a Christmas gift from my mother who is only trying to save my eternal soul. I give her an A for effort, and myself as well. I wanted to be convinced but I was not. I basically just wanted to be able to tell her honestly that I did read it. I am sure if I already shared Sheen's worldview and religion, I would give this book four or five stars, because who doesn't love reading passionately argued points they already agree with? While I don't reject 100% of his values and views, I remained unconvinced to readopt the Catholic religion as an adult. There is a large number of completely unsubstantiated claims and a leaps of logic that he breezes through on his way to punctuate his convictions with scripture and admonishments to the reader. I could see this being tolerable to the already faithful, especially since the chapter on the virtue of Faith does encourage the reader to abandon their own sense of reason and basically just trust the Church. I'm sorry, but I am not going to do that. I also felt this book could have used more editing. There's quite a bit of redundancy, and there are many run-on sentences stuffed with layers of flowery, baroque metaphors that get tedious and obfuscate the point he is trying to make. There is also a strong condescending tone throughout that becomes insufferable at points and does not help his case. I have no doubt that Sheen would just simply shrug at this review and blame my pride, but I am sure a more modern and less judgmental author could have done a lot more to coax me back to Mass.
May 30, 2024
This book can be summarized with this one quote,” the modern man who is not living according to his conscience wants a religion without a cross, a Christ without a Calvary, a kingdom without Justice, and in his church a “soft dean who never mentions hell to ears polite.”
These sobering prophetic words are a wake up call for all of us to carry our own crosses in a world averse to pain and suffering. Pain must be remedied at all costs is the modern message preacher from the pulpit and in secular world. But we who live in Christ must die like Christ. Christianity is not an easy way of life! We must shed our own selves our preconceptions and pride to be built and remade as God’s creation into what and who we can be: children of God!
These sobering prophetic words are a wake up call for all of us to carry our own crosses in a world averse to pain and suffering. Pain must be remedied at all costs is the modern message preacher from the pulpit and in secular world. But we who live in Christ must die like Christ. Christianity is not an easy way of life! We must shed our own selves our preconceptions and pride to be built and remade as God’s creation into what and who we can be: children of God!
June 12, 2022
Fulton Sheen seemed to know exactly what to say or write about in a way that gets one pondering. His words are direct and this isn't a book that one just reads through. It took me a while to read because of its meditative qualities. Every sentence is like a refreshing gulp of water for a parched throat. This book takes readers through a peaceful stroll to contemplate how a spiritual life can pivot one's thinking from a Catholic perspective. Beautiful and reassuring.
September 9, 2017
Książka mnie nie zachwyciła. Jest to często zbiór luźnych myśli, które trudno śledzić. Myślę też , że sporo straciła w tłumaczeniu. Przypisy tłumacza nieco irytujące.
December 31, 2019
Wonderful insight and clarity to Bishop Sheen's teaching...
June 29, 2020
“Suvremeni čovjek prilagođava vjerovanje svojemu načinu života, umjesto da svoj način života vjerovanju.”
June 8, 2018
As much as I love Fulton Sheen, I just could not get into this book. It seemed like it was just a bunch of highlighted points, or one liners strung together. Each point was a good one, but the style made the content less memorable.
August 20, 2015
...one of the books of late Archbishop Fulton Sheen... The books directs a Christian how to find happiness. It's a summarized version of living Catholic faith....
November 1, 2016
Though often read chapters out of order, this is a great read with lots to ponder and wisdom. Some examples are dated, but still expand one's understanding so they are not off putting.
Want to read
June 17, 2017Phil Sandoval
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews