After more than a half century of
dedicated service to the Lord, Francis Cardinal George was called home by
God. He was born to eternal life, on Friday, April 17, 2015, at age
78. Though we are saddened by Cardinal George's passing, our heart remains filled with gratitude for his service to the
Lord, as it has nourished and inspired us, who have been fortunate to be
pastored by him for the last 17 years in Chicago. Of course, our faith assures that Cardinal
George continues to be with us and among us in spirit, as the ascended Jesus
has been with us through parakletos,
transcending temporal et territolialis finium.
Because I was fortunate to have met
Cardinal George in person several times, I cannot help but remember him in a
special way - not only as an archbishop of
Chicago but rather as my brother in Christ, as “brother Francis”. Obviously, I
have been personally touched by the risen Christ in Cardinal George, through
his pastoral quality, which reflects his Christ-centered personal character.
When I first met him, it was at a garden
party in his residence, after celebrating Mass to conclude Theology-on-Tap
program, in August, 2002. Theology-on-Tap is a month-long program for Catholics
in the 20s and the 30s to experience what the Church and its faith tradition
can offer to this young adult generation.
Cardinal George was very supportive of now-international program to
address theology for young adult Catholics in a relaxed summer-breeze setting
over some beer started in Chicago, promoted by Fr. John Cusick, with blessings
from Joseph Cardinal Bernadine, in the early 1980s. Not only he opened his
residence to welcome participants of Theology-on-Tap but Cardinal George spoke
to as many young adult Catholics as he could over this program to show how much
he liked to engage in this generation of Catholics, who otherwise might not
stay in the Church.
Thanks to Fr. Cusick, then director of
the Young Adult Ministry program of the archdiocese, I had the honor to serve
as a liturgical co-coordinator for the Theology-on-Tap Mass, celebrated by
Cardinal George. After this Mass at Holy
Name Cathedral, I had an opportunity to speak with Cardinal George, together
with my fellow Theology-on-Tap participants and liturgical volunteers I
coordinated, in his residence.
Though the titles, “Archbishop of
Chicago” and “Cardinal”, may make it a bit uneasy to approach him, I
immediately noticed that Cardinal George was as easily approachable as “brother
Francis”, once the initial ice was broken. This ease is due to Cardinal
George’s outgoing friendliness, reflecting the flow of the Holy Spirit, as he
often initiate conversations with his “Hello” and greetings, especially, to
those who seem shy or nervous in meeting him. Within a minute, we all engaged in
laughter-filled conversation with Cardinal George.
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| With Francis Cardinal George, 2002 Theology-on-Tap Garden Party |
This experience reminded me that the
foremost important factor in pastoral ministry is the kind of hospitality and
approachability that Cardinal George exhibited to all of us, no matter who we
are and where we are from. This hospitality and friendliness is also about
getting to know each person as who he or she is. Even though he had to meet so many people in
a very limited time, Cardinal George made conscious efforts to get to know each
of us, beyond “Hello” and handshake.
Witnessing this most important element of ministry in Cardinal George, I
began to be more cognizant about Cardinal-George-like hospitality in my own lay
ministry leadership.
On another occasion, I witnessed outgoing
friendliness of Cardinal George, when I chaperoned my confirmation students to
a youth retreat. As a feature of this
confirmation youth retreat, Mass was celebrated by Cardinal George.
Like young adult Catholics, this young
generation of Catholics tend to find the Church “boring” or “too conservative”,
as there have been many young Catholics, who left the Church shortly after
receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Those who have taught religion to preteen and teen students know how
difficult it is to keep them engaged as you teach what the Catholic Church is
about. And, this is the very generation that you often find them drifting away
mentally or even bold enough falling asleep in the pews during Mass. However, including
my students, all preteen and teen participants of the youth retreat were
listening attentively to Cardinal George’s homily. It is not because he was Cardinal but rather
because the way Cardinal George engaged this otherwise elusive generation
through his homily. The youth on this
retreat wanted Cardinal George to spend the rest of the day with them – even
though many of them might have thought that it would be boring to listen to
him, as they found it difficult to let him leave after celebrating Mass for
another scheduled commitment.
Again, Cardinal George taught me what it
takes to practice effective ministry through his example. The ministry must be practice as in the way of the rubber meets the road.
It was December 2009, when I met
Cardinal George, once again, though I had never thought that it would turn out
to be my last personal meeting with him. Thanks to a Jesuit scholastic friend,
Steven Pitts, SJ, whom I was assisting his efforts to serve the Lord
in Japan, and his mentor, Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ, whom I enjoyed working for
the Charis Ministry, I was able to join
a Jesuit scholastics’ dinner meeting with Cardinal George . At this event in a Jesuit residence , I had
the privilege also to meet, again, Fr. Raymond Baumhardt, SJ, former president
of my alma mater, Loyola University Chicago, as he was working with Cardinal
George, at that time.
Together with Fr. Baumhardt, Fr.
Sparough, and Jesuit scholastics, I was very fortunate to enjoy dinner
conversation with Cardinal George.
As Fr. Sparough introduced me to
Cardinal George, he immediately recognized me, smiling and saying, “We have met!”. This
recognition that Cardinal George made put all of us at ease and on a fiesta
mode to share. This time, we had more time to enjoy conversation. Of course, this showed not just how good his
memory was but rather how he cares each person he has encountered, regardless
of his or her status or position. This
really reflects how God cares and knows each person on earth. Knowing that he meets so many people every
day, I never thought that he would remember me.
But, it sure tells that Cardinal George value every meeting with a
person, no matter how brief it may be, rather reflecting this Japanese proverb, “Ichigo
Ichie”(一期一会), which values a
meeting with a person as if never to meet again.
Cardinal George obviously wanted to know
me more personally, just as much I wanted to know about him. He asked me about my ministry activities,
beyond my involvement with Theology-on-Tap and youth ministry. I described my journey of professional
development in pastoral ministry to have become a professional lay pastoral
minister and a certified catechist. Cardinal George was pleased to acknowledge
the progress on my journey to serve the Lord better. He also thanked me for the
service I provide in the archdiocese.
Because he is easy to engage in
conversation, I found myself asking Cardinal some personal questions, in regard
to his own ministry experiences and personal interests. In response, Cardinal
George uninhibitedly shared his experience and thoughts with me. As I listened to him, it was evident that
Cardinal George really loves meeting people from all walks of life and from all
cultures of the world, while acknowledging inevitable challenges in dealing
with cultural and value differences. His
distinct interest in difficult cultures and inculturation reminded me that he
has been a missionary priest of the Missionary Oblates of Immaculate Mary (OMI).
As our conversation topic shifted from
multicultural pastoral ministry in the diverse Chicago archdiocese to a global
missionary, reflecting Cardinal George’s OMI missionary background, I told him
that my country, Japan, has its own unique share in the Church’s global
missionary history – though the Catholic population in Japan is very small. Cardinal George showed his particular interest
in the missionary history in Japan, also reminding me of the presence of his
religious order, OMI, in Japan.
In fact,
the focal point of Cardinal George’s interest in the Catholics in Japan was on
the strengths in their faith, which had sustained for almost 250 years of
severe persecution, without any priest or bishop to guide. He acknowledged that it really amazes him
how Japanese Catholics managed to maintain their faith under such an extremely
difficult condition, not only being under persecution but also being totally
cut-off from Vatican’s support, as Japan enclosed itself from the rest of the
world, while the persecution went on. In
fact, in regard to the Japanese Catholic heritage, Cardinal George emphatically
pointed out as a good example to highlight the quality of faith over a mere
number of the faithful.
I had never thought that Cardinal George
had such a strong interest in the Catholic heritage of Japan, given the fact
that there are not many Japanese Catholics in Chicago. Not even many Japanese
American Catholics. The presence of the
Catholics of Japanese background in Chicago is very small. Japanese Catholics are not like Filipino
Catholics in Chicago and elsewhere, even among Asian Catholics. Perhaps, this
reflects the fact that the Catholics barely make up less than 1% of the total
population in Japan. However, perhaps,
even he rarely ministers to a Japanese
Catholic person in Chicago, Cardinal George showed his strong interest in the
Japanese Catholic heritage. And, it was
not just because of me, but it was also because of his missionary background as
a member of the OMI order.
I
was so happy to know that he was so interested in my faith heritage from
Japan. And I told him that I really want
to see myself on the continuum of countless courageous faithful, who kept the
faith strong during these difficult years in Japan. To this my missionary spirit, Cardinal George
said that he also wants me to serve the Lord to take this strong Catholic legacy
in Japan further towards the fullness.
In fact, Cardinal George gave me his blessing on my missionary spirit to
serve the Lord in Japan, telling me that it can be my next calling. Of course,
I was so empowered and inspired by this blessing that Cardinal George gave me.
During this conversation, we also shared
a light-hearted moment of laughter, upon giving St. Francis Xavier a huge
credit for planting a good seed of faith in Japan, setting a stage for the Japanese
Catholics to cultivate this exemplary strength of faith that endured all adversities
for many years. Because the name of this
missionary priest to Japan is Francis, and Cardinal’s name is also Francis, and
my baptismal and confirmation name is also Francis, we just felt a very strong
bonding through our name, Francs. Cardinal George and I are not only brothers
in Christ but also brothers in the order of Francis, as it is our name in
Christ. If we had that dinner
conversation today, Pope Francis would be added to this order of Francis that
Cardinal and I are in. Not to mention, this order goes back to St. Francis of
Assisi, our beloved Saint.
Now in retrospect, it was not a
coincidence that Cardinal George had such a strong interest in the Japanese
Catholic heritage, as he personally described to me.
It was his polio experience that led him
outside Chicago and made him as a missionary priest, before his service as
Bishop of Yakima and then as Archbishop of Chicago.
Because of his motor disabilities caused
by polio, young Francis George was not welcomed by Quigley Preparatory Seminary
of the Chicago Archdiocese. The Chicago
seminary saw him “unfit” to become a priest because of his polio-related
challenges. But, young Francis George
did not let this rejection stop him from pursuing his desire to become a
priest, as his heart was burning strong.
So, he searched around and around for a seminary that would accept and
welcome him, regardless of his disabilities. And, his uncompromising spirit
toward priesthood found a preparatory seminary of the Missionary Oblates of
Mary Immaculate (OMI) religious order in Belleville, IL, as a welcoming place
for him to continue responding to his call to become a priest.
Cardinal George is a man of faith-driven
strengths and resilience, as he did not allow any challenges, including his polio-related
disabilities, keep him from pursuing his call.
He is a fighter, and all his battles for the Lord result in
victory. Through his diligent and
tireless efforts, guided by the Holy Spirit, Francis George not only became an
OMI priest but climbed through the missionary order’s ranks, while obtaining
two doctorate degrees and making missionary trips to 68 countries.
The strengths and resilience of Cardinal
George sure resonates with these of the Japanese Catholics, who endured 250
years of persecution even without any support from Vatican and without any
priest or bishop. The early Christians survived
300 years of persecution in the Roman Empire as they were guided by
bishops and priests. But, the Catholics in Japan had to survive without these shepherd
figures for 250 years. This unique
strengths and resilience of the Japanese Catholic heritage must have gravitated
Cardinal Georges’ interest and help his own strengths and resilience to drive
him beyond any obstacles.
Perhaps, Cardinal George might not have
developed such a strong interest in the Catholic heritage in Japan and in
inculturation – had he not suffered from polio.
Had Cardinal George not suffered from polio, my dinner
conversation with Cardinal George back in 2009 could have been not as meaning
as it was.
As I continue to remember how warmly
touched, blessed and inspired by Cardinal George, how he inspired my own
missionary spirit, I must find an opportunity to serve the Lord in my country,
Japan, so that I can make a happy report to Cardinal in heaven in regard to the
progress of my missionary, as an extension of the original missionary of our
brother, Francis, St. Francis Xavier. When the Lord grant me an opportunity to
engage in pastoral ministry in Japan, drawing upon all my ministry experience in
Chicago, it will be done in honor of and in memory of Francis Cardinal George,
who has inspired me and blessed my missionary spirit.
After all, Cardinal George was a very
humble and obedient servant of the Lord and respondent to his call. He just
wanted to be remembered as a shepherd who did his best to help us grow holier.
Cardinal George, my brother Francis, you sure did! You sure did to me, as you have done so to countlessly many around the world through your 52 years of ministry. Please watch me and continue to bless me and guide me as I continue on my journey with the missionary spirit, which you have blessed during our last conversation.
Thank you, Cardinal George....brother Francis...for inspiring me to strive to be holier. May you now enjoy your heavenly Sabbath in
your dwelling place that the Father has prepared for you (John 14:2).
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