His Eminence Francis Eugene George OMI |
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Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Chicago | |
Cardinal George at the May 2011 inauguration of Mayor Rahm Emanuel
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See | Chicago (Emeritus) |
Appointed | April 8, 1997 |
Installed | May 7, 1997 |
Term ended | November 18, 2014 |
Predecessor | Joseph Bernardin |
Successor | Blase J. Cupich |
Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of S. Bartolomeo all'Isola |
Orders | |
Ordination | December 21, 1963 by Raymond Peter Hillinger |
Consecration | September 21, 1990 by Agostino Cacciavillan |
Created Cardinal | February 21, 1998 by John Paul II |
Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
Personal details | |
Birth name | Francis Eugene George |
Born |
Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
January 16, 1937
Died | April 17, 2015 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
(aged 78)
Buried | All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines, Illinois |
Nationality | American |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Parents | Francis J. and Julia R. (nee McCarthy) George |
Previous post |
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Motto |
Christo Gloria in Ecclesia (To Christ be Glory in the Church) |
Coat of arms |
Ordination history of Francis George | |
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Episcopal consecration
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Principal consecrator | Agostino Cacciavillan (Apos. Pro-Nunc. USA) |
Date of consecration | September 21, 1990 |
Bishops consecrated by Francis George as principal consecrator
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Joseph Perry | June 29, 1998 |
George Joseph Lucas | December 13, 1999 |
Jerome Edward Listecki | January 8, 2001 |
Francis Joseph Kane | March 19, 2003 |
Thomas John Paprocki | March 19, 2003 |
Gustavo García-Siller | March 19, 2003 |
George James Rassas | February 2, 2006 |
Alberto Rojas | August 10, 2011 |
Andrew Peter Wypych | August 10, 2011 |
David John Malloy | May 14, 2012 |
Styles of Francis George |
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Reference style | His Eminence |
Spoken style | Your Eminence |
Informal style | Cardinal |
Francis Eugene George OMI (January 16, 1937 – April 17, 2015) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop Emeritus of Chicago. He was the eighth Archbishop of Chicago (1997–2014) and previously served as Bishop of Yakima (1990–1996) and Archbishop of Portland, Oregon (1996–1997).
A member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, George was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1998. He served as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2007 to 2010.
On September 20, 2014, Pope Francis accepted George's resignation and appointed Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Spokane, Washington, to succeed him as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. In this unusual circumstance, George was permitted to remain as the incumbent archbishop until Cupich was installed to succeed him on November 18, 2014. He was initially diagnosed with cancer in 2006, and died from the disease in 2015.
Francis George was born on January 16, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, to Francis J. and Julia R. (née McCarthy) George. He has an older sister, Margaret. He received his early education at the parochial school of St. Pascal Church in Chicago's Northwest Side.
George contracted polio at age 13. Due to his disability, he was rejected by Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary, and instead enrolled at St. Henry Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, a high school seminary of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He joined the Missionary Oblates on August 14, 1957. He continued his studies at the Oblates novitiate in Godfrey before entering Our Lady of the Snows Seminary in Pass Christian, Mississippi.