GEORGE, Francis Cardinal

Francis Cardinal GeorgeFrancis Cardinal George was born in Chicago, Illinois. On December 21, 1963 he was ordained to the priesthood. Cardinal George earned a Masters degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in 1965, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in American Philosophy from Tulane University in 1970, and a Masters of Theology degree from the University of Ottawa in 1971. He received a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from the Pontifical Urban University in 1988. On July 10, 1990, he was appointed the 5th Bishop of Yakima, Washington. On April 30, 1996, he was appointed the 9th Archbishop of Portland, Oregon. On April 8, 1997, Pope John Paul II appointed Archbishop George the 8th Archbishop of Chicago. On January 18, 1998, Pope John Paul II announced Archbishop George’s elevation to the Sacred College of Cardinals, with the title of “Cardinal Priest.”

Cardinal George is the author of two well known books; the first, The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith Communion and Culture, published in 2009, and his most recent book, God in Action: How Faith in God Can Address the Challenges of the World, published in 2011. Cardinal George is a member of several Vatican Congregations and Pontifical Councils. He served as Vice President (2004-2007) and President (2007-2010) of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Cardinal is Chancellor of the Catholic Church Extension Society and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He is a Trustee of the Papal Foundation and is a member of the American Catholic Philosophical Association and the Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs.