Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I., was an exemplary pastor and heroic disciple of Christ. A native Chicagoan, he was told as a young man that he would never be a priest in Chicago because of a physical disability resulting from polio. He went on to be ordained a priest with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1963. The native son was appointed as archbishop of Chicago in 1997, created a cardinal in 1998, and served in Chicago until 2014, just months before his death in April 2015.

Cardinal George was a prophetic voice in the Church — a man able to see things as they are and from the point of view of the whole Church. His episcopal motto, “To Christ be glory in the Church,” encapsulates his legacy, because every decision he made, every action he took, every suffering he endured was about serving others and pointing them to our Savior.

Most of all, Cardinal George was a Christian in every sense. He was concerned about relationships and people, not careerism or advancement. He was attentive to the poor and those on the margins. He was a man of prayer, dedicated to Our Lady, and devoted to the Eucharist. He articulated the Faith and was committed to reform. He was honest, accountable, genuine, and holy. Admired for his pursuit and proclamation of the truth and his personal witness to the Gospel, Cardinal George remains a model for discipleship and leadership.

"Cardinal George represented the best of Chicago; super smart, tough, direct, compassionate. It is important that his story has been well told by Michael Heinlein, for us and for future generations."
— Cardinal George Pell, Prefect Emeritus of the Secretariat for the Economy, Holy See

"Francis George was a personal friend; a mentor and adviser; a man of gifted intellect and wisdom; and one of the truly great American bishops of the last century. He is very sorely missed. But in capturing the fullness of Cardinal George's life, ministry, and the meaning of his legacy in this superb biography, Michael Heinlein has done a service for the entire American Catholic community. I will treasure and share this book." 
— Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia

"This book is for the many who need reassurance today about 'whether it's possible to live this way.' To live intelligently, unafraid of a changing world, capable of handling a lifetime of suffering, and throughout, to be person of unwavering faith, a Christian. Cardinal Francis George did it all by answering God's call a day at a time, a task at a time, in the midst of frequent opposition and suffering. He can inspire us to do the same."
— Helen M. Alvaré, The Robert A. Levy Chair in Law & Liberty, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University

"As Chicago's Mayor, I admired Cardinal George's selfless commitment to those he served, and his tireless efforts to improve the quality of life for all Chicagoans. Michael Heinlein has effectively and comprehensively captured why Cardinal George's hometown will long remember its native son as 'Francis, our neighbor.'"
— Honorable Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, former Mayor of Chicago

"Cardinal George was courageous, brilliant, shrewd, holy, and 110% Catholic. Getting to know him through Michael Heinlein's book will be a privilege for any reader — and ought to inspire the present and future leaders of the Catholic Church in the United States." 
— George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow and William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies, Ethics and Public Policy Center