Francis Eugene Cardinal GEORGE, OMI (1937-2015)
Cardinal, Archbishop of Chicago
On April 17, 2015, Francis E. George died at the age of 78, after a long fight with cancer. On July 10, 1990, Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of Yakima, in the United States. Born in Chicago on January 16, 1937, he was ordained a priest on December 21, 1963.
After teaching for a few years, he was elected Vicar General of the Oblates (1974-1986). His episcopal consecration was on September 21, 1990. On April 30, 1996, John Paul II transferred him to the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Less than a year later, on April 8,1997, he named him the eighth Archbishop of Chicago, the first native archbishop of the city. He was made a cardinal in the consistory of February 21, 1998.
“The Congregation is first of all a school of prayer. The formation in prayer puts us on the path of constant conversion to Christ crucified. […] The spirit of the 17th century, the French School of spirituality, inspired our prayers for particular examen and the exercise of oraison, a silent prayer usually in common before our Eucharistic Lord. De Mazenod considered this a way of being together when the missionaries were physically separated. I was very happy to spend time at oraison with you last night…
Conversion to Christ through meditative and contemplative prayer, which was presented to us in the novitiate, is supported by the discipline of the community. Here we learn fraternal charity. We learn that each of us is not the most important person in the Congregation and in the world. It’s a way of life that prepares missionaries for pastoral charity because you cannot love the people, if you do not love your brothers. This is the pastoral charity which is the distinctive priestly virtue in the documents of Vatican II and the documents of the Church…” (F.E. George, Conversion : Prière, communauté, mission, «Vie Oblate Life» [2010-2011]
#pilgrimsofhopeincommunion #omiworld #RIP #oblatiostudia11 #oraison