CV NEWS FEED // As the Church marks the 10th anniversary of Cardinal Francis E. George’s death April 17, biographer Michael Heinlein says the late archbishop lived a life of heroic virtue — and that his quiet witness may offer the Church exactly what it needs today.
Cardinal Francis George, the first native-born Archbishop of Chicago, died in April 2015 after a nine-year battle with cancer. Through years of physical suffering, intellectual leadership, and pastoral presence, he quietly modeled a form of Catholicism deeply rooted in truth and charity.
Heinlein recalled how polio shaped the young George’s understanding of the Cross. As a 13-year-old boy in the hospital, he would often gaze at the crucifix on the wall.
“From that early age, he was able to begin processing suffering as something that was redemptive,” Henlein told CatholicVote in an exclusive interview this week.
George’s own reflection was shaped by a neighbor’s simple advice at the time: “Don’t ever feel sorry for yourself.”
Heinlein explained that the cardinal frequently endured pain but “always said there was someone worse off than me.” That mindset gave him, Heinlein believes, “a heart for others and enabled him to be a really effective pastor.”
“He found ways to continue giving of himself,” Heinlein said, “and never complained about that.”
Ordained for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate after being rejected by the Archdiocese of Chicago, then-Father George went on to earn doctorates in both philosophy and theology. Heinlein described him as someone deeply comfortable in academic circles but wasn’t interested in scholarship for its own sake.
“All the intellectual inquiry had a purpose,” Heinlein said. “And that was to shape hearts and minds.”
George served as Archbishop of Chicago from 1997 to 2014 and led the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) from 2007 to 2010.
As a bishop, George was deeply committed to the spiritual formation of his people and remained accessible in quiet and often unseen ways. Heinlein recalled a story of the cardinal stopping at a meeting of disaffected Catholics at Mundelein Seminary. One woman challenged him on Church teachings, but despite being pressed for time, he took the opportunity to engage her in a calm, thoughtful conversation and responded to her concerns.
“He had somewhere else to be,” Heinlein said, “but he had a lengthy, calm conversation with her. That’s just the kind of man he was.”
While the media often cast Cardinal George as an ideological figure, Heinlein explained that he was far more pastoral in practice.
“Whenever he was being questioned by the media, he would be sure to articulate very clearly what the Church taught,” Heinlein affirmed. “But when dealing with people one-on-one and exercising his role as chief teacher or as bishop, he was always available to listen to people. He was very, very talented as a pastor to shepherd people along.”
In personal interactions, Cardinal George had a remarkable ability to make others feel seen, according to Heinlein.
“People weren’t numbers to him,” Heinlein said. “I can’t tell you how many times I heard from people who said that whenever he spoke to them, it was as if they were the only person that mattered. He was focused on that person.”
Part of what made Cardinal George’s leadership unique was his background. Unlike most bishops, he was not a diocesan priest and had no chancery experience prior to becoming a bishop. Instead, he had served as vicar general of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, traveling to missions around the world, often under life-threatening and difficult circumstances.
Heinlein said this shaped how the cardinal spoke about the faith.
“That experience of Catholicism globally … equipped him to simply articulate the faith in a very different and perhaps more nuanced way than some American bishops were accustomed to doing,” Heinlein explained.
That difference earned him a unique respect among fellow bishops, particularly at USCCB meetings.
“I was told repeatedly by many bishops,” Heinlein said, “that whenever Cardinal George spoke, everybody listened. Pens would go down, laptops would close.”
Heinlein said the best summary of Cardinal George’s approach came in his final homily as archbishop in 2014. When asked about his legacy, the cardinal would say that the people were his legacy — and if they were closer to Christ and the sacramental life of the Church, he had done his job as bishop.
“He never pointed to any personal accomplishments,” Heinlein said. “He just wanted to do his job well — and if he did, that was enough.”
Privately, Cardinal George was known for his tireless availability — to priests, survivors of clergy abuse, and everyday Catholics. Heinlein said the cardinal “rarely slept” and often reached out to people who were grieving or ill, just to offer a kind word or a promise of prayer.
Heinlein noted that many survivors of clergy sexual abuse spoke highly of Cardinal George’s private pastoral care. One even described him as a model for how bishops should accompany survivors during a Vatican conference on the subject in 2019.
Cardinal George’s commitment to reconciliation was evident even in his final days. As Heinlein recounted, the cardinal invited Father Michael Pfleger — a priest whom he had suspended multiple times — to a private meeting before his death.
Fr. Pfleger, longtime pastor at St. Sabina Parish on Chicago’s South Side, was known for his outspoken activism and frequent clashes with Cardinal George.
“He actually asked Fr. Pfleger to give him a blessing,” Heinlein said. “That speaks of the man’s great magnanimity, because this was a priest who caused problems, who many would say at times had been scandalous. But Cardinal George recognized that he was nonetheless a priest — his priest — and he wanted to be at peace with him.”
Today, 10 years after his death, Heinlein believes Cardinal George’s witness speaks directly to the needs of the Church.
“He was very concerned about unity in the Church,” Heinlein said. “And we’ve reached a level of division he may not have seen in his lifetime.”
Cardinal George’s vision of “simply Catholicism,” rooted in truth rather than ideological labels, continues to offer a model of clarity. Heinlein recalled that from his very first day in Chicago, the cardinal insisted: “The faith is not liberal or conservative. The faith is true.”
He returned to that refrain often, challenging the Church to move beyond political categories and instead anchor itself in the eternal truths of the Gospel.
Interest in Cardinal George’s possible canonization has quietly grown over the past decade. While no formal cause has been opened, Heinlein said the signs of devotion are undeniable.
“I know many people that pray to him daily,” Heinlein said. “They visit his grave. They leave candles, flowers, notes, and photos of loved ones.”
Fittingly, Cardinal George chose not to be buried with the other archbishops of Chicago but alongside his parents in a public cemetery.
“He’s among his own people,” Heinlein said. “That connection has remained.”
Heinlein said he believes the Church would rightly give serious consideration to opening a cause for Cardinal George’s canonization.
“I think that he should be looked at seriously as a candidate for canonization,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, he lived a life of heroic virtue — and I know many others feel the same.”
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