Glorifying Christ: The Life of Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I.

Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I., was a model pastor and a heroic disciple of Christ. A native Chicagoan, he was told as a young man that he would never be a priest in Chicago because of a physical disability resulting from polio. He went on to be ordained a priest with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1963. He was appointed as Archbishop of Chicago in 1997, created a cardinal in 1998, and served in Chicago until 2014, just months before his death at the age of 78. 
Cardinal George's many gifts — including his superior intellect — made him a pivotal player in Church affairs nationally and internationally. He governed during difficult and challenging times, yet he always attempted to lead with the heart of Christ, living out his episcopal motto, "To Christ be glory in the Church." 
A man of pastoral availability, Cardinal George poured out his life in service to Christ and the Church, always attentive to the poor and those on the margins. Universally admired for his pursuit and proclamation of the truth, and his personal witness to the Gospel, Cardinal George remains a model for discipleship and leadership. By the time of his death in 2015, Cardinal George was regarded as one of the most respected bishops in American Catholic history. His fascinating and inspiring story reminds us that God's ways are always better than our own.

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of OSV's SimplyCatholic.com and a regular contributor to OSV's periodicals. He earned a degree in theology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He is author of The Handy Little Guide to Spiritual Communion (OSV), Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood (OSV), and the Teeny Tiny Theology children's series (OSV). He finds great inspiration in the lives of the saints and the spirituality of the Pauline Family, and often is found using whatever spare time he has for genealogical research. His greatest treasures are his Catholic faith and his family. He is married to Gretchen, with whom he has three children.