About Us

Former Ordinaries

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His Eminence, Francis Cardinal George

Archbishop of Chicago
1997 – 2014
Born in Chicago, Illinois, January 16, 1937. Entered Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate August 14, 1957. Ordained a Priest December 21, 1963. Appointed as Fifth Bishop of Yakima July 10, 1990. Ordained and Installed as Bishop September 21, 1990. Appointed as Ninth Archbishop of Portland in Oregon April 30, 1996. Installed as Archbishop May 27, 1996. Appointed as Eighth Archbishop of Chicago April 8, 1997. Installed as Archbishop May 7, 1997. Named Cardinal by Pope John Paul II January 18,1998. Created Cardinal Priest in Consistory: February 21, 1998. Died April 17, 2015.

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His Eminence, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin

Archbishop of Chicago
1982 – 1996
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, April 2, 1928. Ordained priest April 26, 1952. Appointed Titular Bishop of Lugura and Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta, March 9, 1966; ordained April 26, 1966. General Secretary, NCCB-USCC 1968 – 1972. Appointed Archbishop of Cincinnati, November 21, 1972; installed December 19, 1972. Appointed Archbishop of Chicago, July 10, 1982; installed August 25, 1982. Created Cardinal Priest, February 2, 1983. Died November 14, 1996.

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His Eminence, John Cardinal Cody

Archbishop of Chicago
1965 – 1982
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, December 24, 1907. Ordained priest of Archdiocese of St. Louis, December 8, 1931. Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis, May 14, 1947; consecrated July 2, 1947. Appointed Coadjutor to the Bishop of St. Joseph, January 27, 1954. Appointed Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, August 29, 1956; installed October 11, 1956. Appointed Coadjutor to the Archbishop of New Orleans, August 14, 1961. Acceded to the See of New Orleans, November 8, 1964. Appointed Archbishop of Chicago, June 16, 1965; installed August 24, 1965. Created Cardinal Priest, June 26, 1967. Died April 25, 1982.

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His Eminence, Albert Cardinal Meyer

Archbishop of Chicago
1958 – 1965
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, March 9, 1903. Ordained priest of Archdiocese of Milwaukee, July 11, 1926. Appointed Bishop of Superior, February 18, 1946; consecrated April 11, 1946. Appointed Archbishop of Milwaukee, July 21, 1953; installed September 24, 1953. Appointed Archbishop of Chicago, September 19, 1958; installed November 16, 1958. Created Cardinal Priest, December 14, 1959. Died April 9, 1965.

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His Eminence, Samuel Cardinal Stritch

Archbishop of Chicago
1939 – 1958
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, August 17, 1887. Ordained priest of Diocese of Nashville, May 21, 1910. Appointed Bishop of Toledo, August 10, 1921; consecrated November 30, 1921. Appointed Archbishop of Milwaukee, August 26, 1930; installed November 19, 1930. Appointed Archbishop of Chicago, December 27, 1939; installed March 7, 1940. Created Cardinal Priest, February 18, 1946. Appointed Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, March 1, 1958. Died May 27, 1958.

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His Eminence, George Cardinal Mundelein

Archbishop of Chicago
1915 – 1939
Born in New York City, July 2, 1872. Ordained priest of Diocese of Brooklyn, June 8, 1895. Appointed Titular Bishop of Loryma and Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn; consecrated September 21, 1909. Appointed Archbishop of Chicago, December 9, 1915; installed February 9, 1916. Created Cardinal Priest, March 24, 1924. Died October 2, 1939.

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Most Rev. James E. Quigley, D.D.

Archbishop of Chicago
1903 – 1915
Born in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, October 15, 1854. Ordained priest of Diocese of Buffalo, April 12, 1879. Appointed Bishop of Buffalo; consecrated February 24, 1897. Appointed Archbishop of Chicago, January 8, 1903; installed March 10, 1903. Died July 10, 1915.

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Most Rev. Patrick A. Feehan, D.D.

Archbishop of Chicago
1880 – 1902
Born in County Tipperary, Ireland, August 29, 1829. Ordained priest of Archdiocese of St. Louis, November 1, 1852. Appointed Bishop of Nashville; consecrated November 1, 1865. Appointed first Archbishop of Chicago, September 10, 1880; installed November 28, 1880. Died July 12, 1902.

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Rt. Rev. Thomas Foley, D.D.

Coadjutor Bishop and Administrator of Chicago
1869 – 1879
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, March 6, 1822. Ordained priest of Archdiocese of Baltimore, August 16, 1846. Appointed Titular Bishop of Pergamus and Coadjutor Bishop and Administrator of Chicago, September 27, 1869; Installed March 10, 1870. Died February 19, 1879.

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Rt. Rev. James Duggan, D.D.

Bishop of Chicago
1859 – 1869
Born in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland, May 22, 1825. Ordained priest for Archdiocese of St. Louis, May 29, 1847. Appointed Titular Bishop of Antigone and Coadjutor to the Archbishop of St. Louis, January 9, 1857; consecrated May 1, 1857. Appointed Bishop of Chicago, January 21, 1859. Hospitalized in 1869. Died March 27, 1899.

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Rt. Rev. Anthony O’Regan, D.D.

Bishop of Chicago
1854 – 1858
Born in County Mayo, Ireland, July 27, 1809. Ordained priest in Ireland, November 29, 1834. Emigrated to St. Louis, 1849. Appointed Bishop of Chicago; consecrated July 25, 1854; installed September 3, 1854. Resigned in 1858. Died November 13, 1866.

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Rt. Rev. James O. Van De Velde, D.D.

Bishop of Chicago
1848 – 1853
Born in Lebbeke, Belgium, April 3, 1795. Ordained Jesuit priest, September 16, 1827. Appointed Bishop of Chicago, December 1, 1848; consecrated February 11, 1849. Appointed Bishop of Natchez, July 29, 1853. Died November 13, 1855.

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Rt. Rev. William Quarter, D.D.

Bishop of Chicago
1844 – 1848
Born in Killurine, Kings County, Ireland, January 24, 1806. Ordained priest of Diocese of New York, September 19, 1829. Appointed first Bishop of Chicago, February, 1844; consecrated March 10, 1844. Died April 10, 1848.