PHOTOS: Remembering Cardinal Francis George’s 17 years of service

SHARE PHOTOS: Remembering Cardinal Francis George’s 17 years of service

Rev. Francis George is introduced as the new Archbishop of Chicago at a press conference April 8, 1997. | Rich Hein/Sun-Times library

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Rev. Francis George is introduced as the new Archbishop of Chicago at a press conference April 8, 1997. | Rich Hein/Sun-Times library

Archbishop Francis George, newly-named Archbishop of Chicago, visits the Bishop’s Masoleum at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Hillside in April of 1997. Here, he greets people who came out the cemetery to get a glimpse of the new Archbishop. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George greets parishioner Eva Rutiaga during the procession toward mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1998. | Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George speaks to reporters at O’Hare Airport in Chicago Saturday, April 27, 2002.| AP File

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Cardinal Francis George takes in a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field in 2003. | Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times library

Rev. Lloyd Bowden, left, and Very Rev. Stanley Orlikiewicz, right, flank Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, as they walk up Raynor Avenue in Joliet during a processional of bishops and priests into the Cathedral of St. Raymond for the Golden Jubilee Year Eucharistic Liturgy, Wednesday afternoon. | Sun-Times library

Pope John Paul II listens to Cardinal Francis Eugene George, Archbishop of Chicago, during his weekly open-air general audience, in St. Peter’s square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2002. | Massimo Sambucetti/AP File

Cardinal Francis George greets parishioners Sherry Spencer, right, and Peggy Rich, second left, outside St. Giles Church after presiding over mass in Oak Park Sunday, June 16, 2002. | Aynsley Floyd/AP File

Francis Cardinal George is surrounded by students after presiding over mass at St. Viator, on Chicago’s Northwest side, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the parish in September of 2002. | Sun-Times library

Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George answers reporters’ questions after a press conference Wednesday, April 17, 2002, in Chicago.| M. Spencer Green/AP File

Gov. Rod Blagojevich, with Francis Cardinal George, announced changes at Maryville Academy in Des Plaines in October of 2003. | Rich Hein/Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George greets members of the Knights of Columbus at Queen of All Saints Basilica’s 75th anniversary Mass in September of 2004. | Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George receives flowers from children of the Santa Maria del Popolo parish Sunday morning in Mundelein in February of 2004. | Sun-Times library

Irene Graham, 100, gets a personal greeting from Cardinal Francis George at St. Joseph Parish in Libertyville in January of 2005. | Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George listens to the first reading during the Saturday evening Mass at the Catholic Festival of Faith in February of 2006. | Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George celebrates mass with the inmates at Cook County in December of 2006. | Brian Jackson/Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George celebrates mass with the inmates at Cook County in December of 2006. | Brian Jackson/Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George and the Rev. Mark Reszel pause for silent prayer during Mass at St. Mary Parish in Buffalo Grove in 2005. | Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George shares a laugh with Sacred Heart Parish Deacon Mike McNulty, left, as they walk toward the new Sacred Heart Church parish center before the dedication ceremony in October of 2005. | Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George leaves Loyola University Medical center in Maywood following cancer surgery in August of 2006. | Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George leaves Loyola University Medical center in Maywood following cancer surgery in August of 2006. | Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George is the surprise conductor for the final encore of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Ravinia Festival in June of 2006. | Ravinia Festival photo by Jim Steere

Francis Cardinal George, Mayor Daley and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin march in the 2007 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. | Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George waves to people outside as he arrives at the gym where Mass was to be to celebrated in honor of Maryville’s 125th anniversary in July of 2008. | Sun-Times library

Francis George celebrates Mother’s Day Mass for mothers and expectant mothers in May of 2009. He presented all of the expectant mothers with a single white rose. | Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George looks at time capsule that will be blessed and set for St. Raphael of the Archangel in Old Mill Creek in September of 2009. | Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George washes the feet of George Aygar during the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Holy Name Cathedral’s parish center in 2009. | Sun-Times library

The 150th anniversary of St. Patrick High School is celebrated with Francis Cardinal George officiating on the athletic field in 2010. | Rich Hein/Sun-Times library

Cardinal Francis George visits Shaafin Rafiq in the pediatric intensive care unit of Children’s Memorial Hospital. Sunday, December 24, 2011. | Sun-Times library

Francis Cardinal George places a flower atop a box containing the remains of unborn children after presiding over a proper burial of some of the bodies found stockpiled at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office at Mt. Olivet Cemetery Wednesday, April 25, 2012. | Sun-Times library

U.S. Cardinals Donald Wuerl, Francis George and Roger Mahony leave the North American College in Rome en route to the Domus Sanctae Martae, the Vatican hotel where the cardinals are staying during the conclave to elect the next pope in March of 2013. | Alessandra Tarantino/AP File

Cardinal Francis George celebrates his 50th anniversary as a priest during a public mass in Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday, December 22, 2013. | Chandler West/For Sun-Times Media

Cardinal Francis George listens as the gospel is read after he blessed palms before Palm Sunday Mass at Holy Name Cathedral, April 13, 2014. | Jessica Koscielniak/Sun-Times

Cardinal Francis George greets parishioners on the steps of Holy Name Cathedral before blessing palms at Palm Sunday Mass, April 13, 2014. | Jessica Koscielniak/Sun-Times

Cardinal Francis George greets parishioners on the steps of Holy Name Cathedral before blessing palms at Palm Sunday Mass, April 13, 2014. | Jessica Koscielniak/Sun-Times

Cardinal Francis George was the main celebrant at a special Mass in honor of the canonization of the Blessed Popes John XXIII and John Paul II on April 27 at Holy Name Cathedral. | Ashlee Rezin/for Sun-Times Media

Cardinal Francis George was the main celebrant at a special Mass in honor of the canonization of the Blessed Popes John XXIII and John Paul II on April 27 at Holy Name Cathedral. | Ashlee Rezin/For Sun-Times Media

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