HR0024 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0024 LRB099 04305 MST 25659 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize the service of His Eminence, Francis Eugene Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop Emeritus of Chicago upon his retirement as Archbishop of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Cardinal George was born in Chicago on January 16, 1937 to Francis J. and Julia R. (nee McCarthy) George; and

WHEREAS, Cardinal George attended St. Pascal School on Chicago's Northwest Side; he attended St. Henry Preparatory Seminary in Belleville and entered the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in August of 1957; he earned his bachelor's degree in theology from the University of Ottawa and was ordained a priest in December of 1963 by Most Reverend Raymond Hillinger at his boyhood parish of St. Pascal in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Cardinal George earned several postgraduate degrees; he received a master's degree in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in 1965, a doctorate in American philosophy from Tulane University in 1970, a master's degree in theology from the University of Ottawa in 1971, and a Doctorate of Sacred Theology in ecclesiology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome in 1988; he taught at Our Lady of the Lake University, Gonzaga University, the Oblate Seminary in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Tulane University, and Creighton University; and

WHEREAS, Cardinal George served the church in a number of roles, including pontifical councils and commissions; in 1974, he was elected vicar general of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, serving in Rome and traveling to missions in some of the poorest regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America; from 1973 to 1974, he served as Provincial Superior of the Midwestern Province for the Oblates and, from 1987 to 1990, as coordinator of the Circle of Fellows for the Cambridge Center for the Study of Faith and Culture; beginning in 2007, he served a 3-year term as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; from 1990 to 2008, he served as Episcopal Moderator and as a member of the board of the National Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities, now the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, bringing his personal experience to the position after a 5-month bout with polio at the age of 13 left him with permanent damage to his legs; and

WHEREAS, Following his appointment by Pope Saint John Paul II, Cardinal George was ordained and installed in September of 1990 as the fifth Bishop of Yakima in Washington state, serving for over 5 years; and

WHEREAS, Following his appointment by Pope Saint John Paul II, Cardinal George was installed in May of 1996 as the ninth Archbishop of Portland; and

WHEREAS, Following the passing of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin on May 7, 1997, Cardinal George was installed as the eighth Archbishop of Chicago, becoming the first native Chicagoan to serve as Archbishop of Chicago, serving more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties; when delivering his homily during his installation Mass, he drew upon his hometown roots, noting that Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, and asked the people to think of him as "Francis, your neighbor"; and

WHEREAS, Pope Saint John Paul II announced Cardinal George's elevation to the Sacred College of Cardinals and he was created a Cardinal Priest during consistory on February 21, 1998; and

WHEREAS, After serving over 17 years as Archbishop, Cardinal George presided over his final Mass at Holy Name Cathedral on November 16, 2014, becoming the first Cardinal to retire as Archbishop of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, On December 10, 2014, Cardinal George received the Medal of Merit, the City of Chicago's highest honor; and

WHEREAS, Cardinal George has fought as an advocate for the poor and the vulnerable, pushing for legislative reform to strengthen the rights of Illinois' Latino community and battling racism; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank His Eminence, Francis Eugene Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop Emeritus of Chicago for his years of service to the people of Chicago, Cook County, the State of Illinois, and the Archdiocese of Chicago; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Cardinal George, Archbishop Emeritus of Chicago, as an expression of our respect, esteem, and best wishes.