Guest: Allan Smith, author, speaker, radio host, and editorSaints choose us; we don’t choose them. Allan Smith’s journey into the legacy of Archbishop Fulton Sheen was a serendipitous event caused by hearing Sheen’s words spoken out loud. He was hooked. Sheen’s spiritual fire made him one of the most compelling voices of the 20th century, but his words still resonate today. People are desperately searching for something technology can’t provide. Finding a pearl of such great price, Allan has spent years collecting and republishing Sheen’s works so they can once again lead people to God. So far Allan has compiled more than twenty of Sheen’s books into a collection of five anthologies. His latest work is “The Soul of a Disciple: Fulton Sheen's Meditations on the Cross, the Eucharist, and the Christian Life.” Inside, you will find five powerful retreats drawn from the heart of the great evangelizer’s preaching. Each day offers short, simple tools to carry back into the world. For Fulton Sheen, a daily Holy Hour was never an obligation. It was a love affair, and Allan has included a practical guide on how we can spend an hour at the Fountain of Grace, where the heart of God speaks quietly to the heart of man. Guest biography: Allan J. Smith is a Catholic author, speaker, radio host, and editor specializing in the life, writings, and spiritual legacy of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. A member of the Advisory Board of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation in Peoria, Illinois, he has spent more than a decade helping preserve and promote Sheen's teachings through books, radio, conferences, podcasts, and media outreach. Smith is the compiler and editor of numerous Fulton Sheen anthologies, including bestselling titles published by Sophia Institute Press and his own Bishop Sheen Today publishing apostolate. His work has introduced thousands of readers to Sheen's timeless insights on prayer, suffering, evangelization, the Eucharist, and the spiritual life. Allan Smith is also affectionately known as the “Pipe Padre” because as a professional plumber he’s been in over 30,000 basements, helping customers with their plumbing woes. Born as one of 12 kids to a devoutly Catholic couple, Smith would attend daily Mass with his mother and sibs, after watching his dad get up early to attend the early Mass before leaving for work. Daily Mass was and still is part of Smith’s daily routine. He and his wife, Isabelle, have three adult children and eight grands. His son has taken over the plumbing business while Allan and Isabelle have retired to a sleepy village two hours north of Toronto, Canada, which sits next to property dedicated as a shrine to martyred Jesuit priests. As Smith proudly proclaims, “we live on holy ground.” Resources:"The Soul of a Disciple: Fulton Sheen’s Meditations on The Cross, The Eucharist and the Christian Life” by Allan Smith Website: Bishop Sheen TodayWebsite: Celebrate Sheen Website: Holy Face Miracle
