Call him a local boy made good or a favorite son, or even "Francis, your neighbor." The fact is, no one, not even Cardinal George himself, could have predicted a path that would take him away from Chicago, first to Belleville, Illinois and then around the world, before returning to his hometown. The following are pictures from the cardinal's extraordinary life.
Cardinal George cuts a birthday cake as he celebrated his 75th birthday with archdiocesan staff at the Archbishop Quigley Center, 835 N. Rush St. on Jan. 20, 2012.
Photo: Karen Callaway / Catholic New World