Cardinal Bernardin
Photo courtesy The Daily Herald
Cardinal Bernardin’s legacy is one of peacemaking and interfaith dialogue that helped bridge divides within the Catholic Church and society.
The archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996, Cardinal Joseph Louis Bernardin was personally motivated by the church’s efforts to engage and embrace the modern world after Vatican II. Concerned with the division he observed in parishioners, Bernardin developed The Catholic Common Ground Initiative in 1996 to promote dialogue amongst believers. He was also a co-author of its founding document, "Called to Be Catholic: Church in a Time of Peril," released that same year.
Originally born in South Carolina, Bernardin became the youngest bishop in America at only 38 years old. Bernardin was later elevated to the cardinalate in 1983 by Pope John Paul II. A confidant and friend to countless people, few bishops have been called upon more than Bernardin for help with internal problems. His patience and ability to build consensus were legendary.
Diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer later in life, he ministered to the sick, becoming the “unofficial chaplain” to cancer patients at Loyola. His spiritual leadership during his personal battle with cancer led him to keep his focus on helping others rather than retiring. He told his advisors that his priority was to “spend time with the sick and troubled.”
Cardinal Bernardin received medical care at Loyola University Medical Center. His legacy lives on in both our cancer center today (renamed the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center in his honor in 1996) and in Loyola’s Hank Center “Common Cause” lecture series.
Photo courtesy The Daily Herald
Cardinal Bernardin’s legacy is one of peacemaking and interfaith dialogue that helped bridge divides within the Catholic Church and society.
The archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996, Cardinal Joseph Louis Bernardin was personally motivated by the church’s efforts to engage and embrace the modern world after Vatican II. Concerned with the division he observed in parishioners, Bernardin developed The Catholic Common Ground Initiative in 1996 to promote dialogue amongst believers. He was also a co-author of its founding document, "Called to Be Catholic: Church in a Time of Peril," released that same year.
Originally born in South Carolina, Bernardin became the youngest bishop in America at only 38 years old. Bernardin was later elevated to the cardinalate in 1983 by Pope John Paul II. A confidant and friend to countless people, few bishops have been called upon more than Bernardin for help with internal problems. His patience and ability to build consensus were legendary.
Diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer later in life, he ministered to the sick, becoming the “unofficial chaplain” to cancer patients at Loyola. His spiritual leadership during his personal battle with cancer led him to keep his focus on helping others rather than retiring. He told his advisors that his priority was to “spend time with the sick and troubled.”
Cardinal Bernardin received medical care at Loyola University Medical Center. His legacy lives on in both our cancer center today (renamed the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center in his honor in 1996) and in Loyola’s Hank Center “Common Cause” lecture series.