Recent Events and Speculation On Retirement and Succession
Cardinal George had been mentioned as potential candidate to succeed Pope John Paul II according to TIME magazine, and later to succeed Pope Benedict XVI as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. However, Benedict appointed former Archbishop of San Francisco William Levada to fill that office. He is a member of the board of trustees of the Catholic University of America, the Chancellor of Mundelein Seminary and Loyola University Chicago, and a member of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. In May 2008, Father Robert Barron, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, was named the first holder of the endowed Francis Cardinal George Chair of Systematic Theology at Mundelein Seminary, the second such named endowed chair the university started.
In March 2009 Cardinal George met with newly elected United States President Barack Obama. In the fall of 2010, he finished his three-year presidency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; he was succeeded by Archbishop Dolan of New York. Cardinal George turned 74 in January 2011, and as bishops are required to make an offer to the Pope to resign at age 75 (which may be deferred by the Pope until later), speculation is already beginning over who could succeed him given that George has had cancer, has fallen, and suffers from the after effects of childhood polio. However, he remains in relatively good shape considering those matters. He remains eligible to vote in future Papal conclaves until his 80th birthday in 2017.
In July 2011, Cardinal George was chosen to be one of eight U.S. Bishops- selected by the Roman Curia's Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Vatican body that convenes the event- to serve as catechists at the August 2011 World Youth Day celebration in Madrid, Spain.
On January 16, 2012, Cardinal George turned 75 and formally submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI. The Cardinal noted he is a rarity among Chicago's bishops for having lived to see the possibility of retirement. He named the Very Reverend Father Peter F. Śnieg, until then the Rector of St. Joseph's Seminary at Loyola University Chicago, as the Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese. Jimmy M. Lago remains as Chancellor. He has served for 12 years as Archdiocesan Chancellor. Śnieg will report to the Cardinal. He appointed the Reverend Father Paul C. Stein, until then pastor of Chicago's St. Sylvester Parish, as Father Śnieg's successor as Rector. The Cardinal anticipates remaining in office for about another two or three years so he can ensure a smooth transition, resolve certain issues and finish some current projects.
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