That's the opinion of the Rev. Roy Bauer of Quincy, the former pastor of St. Peter Parish and expert on the life of Tolton. "Father Gus" was the nation's first African-American priest and had strong ties to Quincy.
Both Sheen and Tolton have strong connections to Illinois, but that should be no problem, Bauer said, and one should not cancel the other out.
"That will not make any difference," he said. "Right now there are about 35 cases (for sainthood), and most of them are from the United States."
Sheen, a former Rochester bishop, was a popular TV figure in the 1950s and 1960s who denounced Communism and liberal psychology. He died in 1979.
Bauer has researched the life of Tolton for many years and saud his cause for sainthood remains in the early stages.
Cardinal Francis George of the Archdiocese of Chicago and diocese Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Perry are helping to champion Tolton's bid for sainthood, a process that has no specific length but could take a decade or longer.
Tolton died in Chicago in 1897 at age 43 and had to be presented as a candidate for sainthood from the diocese where he died.
Bauer, who retired as pastor of St. Peter Parish in 2004, said he hopes to see the day Tolton reaches sainthood.
"It's up to God," Bauer said. "If I am still alive, I plan on being in Rome (to witness the ceremony)."
All information and findings concerning Tolton eventually will be forwarded to the Congregation for Causes of Staints at the Vatican in Rome. The stages of canonization that precede sainthood are servant of god, venerable and blessed. The final decision on sainthood eventually will be made by the pope.
Tolton was born into slavery near Monroe City, Mo., but as a young child during the Civil War, he made it to Quincy with his mother and two siblings.
Tolton eventually graduated in 1872 from St. Francis College, now known as Quincy University, and wanted to enter the priesthood. No seminary in America would accept Tolton because of his race. He eventually began his seminary studies in Rome and was ordained there in April 1886.
Tolton had hoped to become an African missionary, but he was assigned back to Quincy, where he celebrated his first Mass in July 1886.
He was eventually transferred to Chicago in December 1889. In Chicago, Tolton started a parish for black Catholics. The church was named for St. Monica and opened in 1893.
The cause of Tolton's 1897 death, which came after he collapsed one hot Chicago day, was ruled sunstroke.
Cardinal George said most priests in the 19th century died before their 50th birthdays because of poor public health in those days.