Remarkably intelligent and spiritual, Cardinal Francis George tends to the Archdiocese of Chicago with utmost care.

“Your spirituality is colored by your calling in life,” he said. “So I incorporate my love for the people of Chicago into my relationship with the Lord.”

With this love, Cardinal George not only sustains the Archdiocese, but hopes to remedy many of the social problems of the city. In his 2001 pastoral letter, Dwell in My Love, Cardinal George discussed racism and its resolutions. To this day, eradicating racism remains one of his major concerns.

“There is a long history of trying to address racial tensions. Here, in Chicago, there has been progress at least in terms of attitude, if not yet in terms of actually living in integrated fashions. But that’s coming, too.”

“What is necessary is to create forums, places where people can encounter one another across cultural and racial barriers.”

To this end, the Archdiocese hosts weekend programs in parishes where people of different races and cultures can spend time together.

“The hope is that friendships will be born in these encounters. Once you have friendship, there’s trust, and then you can never look at people in quite the same way. You can’t look at them as just a category anymore.”

Beyond the problems of racism, violence itself plagued the streets of Chicago. In response, the Church became involved with the CeaseFire anti-violence campaign. The campaign has seen success, and over the past four years murders have been reduced by 50 percent.

To suppress the spread of racism and violence, Cardinal George understands that proper formation of youth is an important goal.

“It starts very young. You try to be present in every age group to form them in the faith, so they know that God is revealed. You teach them self-discipline, so they are not captive to their desires. If you stay with them, then at the end you have someone who is an adult Christian, ready to live with the Lord and do what God wants.”

Cardinal George traces his youth ministry back to the Oblate Founder, St. Eugene De Mazenod.

“The Founder had youth groups to catechize young people. During the Founder’s time, people had not been taught the faith because of the French Revolution.”
In his role as a bishop, Cardinal George finds himself drawn more to
St. Eugene. “Before I became a bishop, I looked at De Mazenod as a priest, missionary, evangelizer to the world, and founder of a religious order. Those were the things that meant most to me.”

“When I became a bishop, I looked back at the Founder’s writings and diaries where he talked about his pastoral concerns, taking care of the people of Marseilles. I found a new dimension of Eugene as head of a local church. And I feel closer to him now than I did before.”

Along with his understanding of St. Eugene, Cardinal George also recognizes his fraternity in the Oblate congregation although he has moved into a diocesan position.

“The Oblates are very good men, prayerful men, and kind men. Among the Oblates there is a sense of charity and concern for one another and a concern for the Mission Church.”

“I’m very grateful to the Oblate congregation for what they gave me in my spiritual life. Their prayer practices and vision of the Gospel have stayed with me.”

In the end, Cardinal George combines his education with the Oblates, his love for the people of Chicago, and his desire for social justice with faith in the Holy Spirit. As he continues to shepherd his Archdiocese, he puts his faith in the Lord to guide his path.

“It really does work,” he said. “The Holy Spirit is among us, and with a little bit of cooperation, it really does work.”