Oct. 27--Just weeks from retirement, Cardinal Francis George presided over an annual awards ceremony Sunday afternoon that honored more than 200 individuals, couples and families from 147 parishes in Cook and Lake counties.
Most of the honorees were bestowed the Parochial Christifideles Award for serving their Roman Catholic parish "in an extraordinary way." Six were given the Bishop Quarter Award for demonstrating "consistent service" to the ministry of their parish or across the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Each honored layperson was presented with a certificate from one of the archdiocese's six auxiliary bishops, and their history of service to the church was detailed in a booklet given to attendees who filled Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral for the ceremony.
"We are here this afternoon because, dear friends, you as laymen have been recognized by your pastor," George said. "You're recognized as bearing gifts, many gifts that you have not kept to yourself but shared with others."
George called on worshippers in the archdiocese to continue to share their gifts as they welcome incoming Archbishop Blase Cupich when George retires next month, and he thanked everyone for the prayers over his health struggles.
"The future is quite uncertain, but in that uncertainty God calls us to trust in the providence of God," George said.
mmrodriguez@tribune.com
