GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN (October 1, 2004) -
Published on
The First Annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition
is titled "The Catholic Intellectual Tradition and Its Significance in a Secular Society."
The lecture will be presented by Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I., on Wednesday,
October 13 at 7 p.m. in the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center, 1703 Robinson
Road, S.E. The lecture is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Please
RSVP to cardinal@aquinas.edu.
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Ph.D., S.T.L., was born on January 16, 1937 in Chicago to Francis J. and Julia R. (McCarthy) George. After attending St. Pascal Elementary School in Chicago, he attended St. Henry Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, IL. He entered the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate on August 14, 1957. He studied theology at the University of Ottawa, Canada, and was ordained a priest by Most Rev. Raymond P. Hillinger on December 21, 1963 at Saint Pascal Church. He earned a master's degree in philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1965 and a doctorate in American philosophy at Tulane University, New Orleans, LA in 1970. In 1971, he received a master's degree in theology from the University of Ottawa in Canada. During those years, he also taught philosophy at the Oblate Seminary, Pass Christian, Mississippi (1964-1969); Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana (1968); and at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska (1969-1973).
He was Provincial Superior of the Midwestern Province for the Oblates (1973-1974). He was Vicar General of the Oblates in Rome from 1974-1986. He returned to the United States to coordinate the Circle of Fellows for the Cambridge Center for the Study of Faith and Culture in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1987-1990). During that time, he obtained a Doctorate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome (1988).
Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Yakima in Washington on July 10, 1990, and then appointed him Archbishop of Portland in Oregon on April 30, 1996. Less than a year later, on April 8, 1997, Pope John Paul named him the eighth Archbishop of Chicago. He is the first native Chicagoan to serve as Archbishop of Chicago. On January 18, 1998, Pope John Paul II announced Archbishop George's elevation to the Sacred College of Cardinals.
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Ph.D., S.T.L., was born on January 16, 1937 in Chicago to Francis J. and Julia R. (McCarthy) George. After attending St. Pascal Elementary School in Chicago, he attended St. Henry Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, IL. He entered the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate on August 14, 1957. He studied theology at the University of Ottawa, Canada, and was ordained a priest by Most Rev. Raymond P. Hillinger on December 21, 1963 at Saint Pascal Church. He earned a master's degree in philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1965 and a doctorate in American philosophy at Tulane University, New Orleans, LA in 1970. In 1971, he received a master's degree in theology from the University of Ottawa in Canada. During those years, he also taught philosophy at the Oblate Seminary, Pass Christian, Mississippi (1964-1969); Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana (1968); and at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska (1969-1973).
He was Provincial Superior of the Midwestern Province for the Oblates (1973-1974). He was Vicar General of the Oblates in Rome from 1974-1986. He returned to the United States to coordinate the Circle of Fellows for the Cambridge Center for the Study of Faith and Culture in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1987-1990). During that time, he obtained a Doctorate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome (1988).
Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Yakima in Washington on July 10, 1990, and then appointed him Archbishop of Portland in Oregon on April 30, 1996. Less than a year later, on April 8, 1997, Pope John Paul named him the eighth Archbishop of Chicago. He is the first native Chicagoan to serve as Archbishop of Chicago. On January 18, 1998, Pope John Paul II announced Archbishop George's elevation to the Sacred College of Cardinals.