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.
On Sept. 20, 2014, Cardinal George raises his fist in triumph after a reporter asked him during a press conference if he is happy he lived to retirement, something Cardinal George always said he wanted to do.
Photo: Karen Callaway / Catholic New World