As
he approaches the end of his 14th year at the helm of the Chicago
Archdiocese, Cardinal Francis George plans to reflect on his priorities
and return to the spiritual practice that moved and shaped him as a
young priest, hearing confessions.
Following a rule for all Roman
Catholic bishops, George will submit his resignation to the Vatican
when he turns 75 in January 2012.
It would be the first time a Chicago bishop
has reached that milestone and, while George expects to remain in his
role for years to come, it has inspired him to ponder his legacy and
make a concerted effort to be the pastor he aspired to be.
Still, reaching mandatory retirement age has George thinking about the day when he will step down.
"You can get set in your ways," George said during a recent
conversation in the parlor of his Gold Coast residence. "Your energy
flags a little. It's also good for me to look forward to a change."
The cardinal, who has occasionally clashed with priests and
parishioners since being installed as archbishop of his childhood
hometown in May 1997, added with a chuckle: "Some people are looking
forward to a change. Others might regret it."
Popes generally
don't accept cardinals' resignations when first offered and George said
he would be surprised if Pope Benedict XVI immediately agreed to his.
He has shown no signs of slowing down since recovering from bladder
cancer in 2006, and doctors have consistently given him clean bills of
health.
Since his term as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops ended in November he has been appointed to three Vatican
committees.
"I would also like to see to it that the church
continues to be present to changes in society in a way that keeps
dialogue open but that moves us toward a better society," George said of
hopes for his remaining time in office.
Always trying to close
the gap between church teaching and the way Catholics live, George's
professorial approach has not always gone over well with priests and
parishioners. But he said he tries to be "careful not to inflict my
opinions on people."
"My job is to teach what Christ has handed to us," he said.
That is the job of every bishop, but not every bishop wields influence
and sparks controversy like George, who most recently decried Illinois
legislation to allow same-sex civil unions.