Archbishop Francis Cardinal George died Friday morning, April 17, at his home after battling cancer for a year. He was 78.

Leaders of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago join with the entire Jewish community in remembering with joy, respect and gratitude the faithful friendship of Cardinal George.

“We are all saddened by the passing of Cardinal George. He was a good friend to our community,” said JUF President Steven B. Nasatir. “We mourn his passing together with people of all faiths and affiliations and offer condolences to the Cardinal’s family, to our colleagues at the Archdiocese, and to all Chicago Catholics.”

Cardinal George led by example in the realm of Catholic-Jewish relations, working with the Jewish United Fund from the very outset of his office. He continued the path of his predecessors, Cardinal Cody and Cardinal Bernardin, in building a relationship built on foundations of mutual respect.

Through interactions and joint programs Cardinal George expressed his total commitment to Catholic-Jewish ties.

Cardinal George addressed JUF at its Federation Annual Meeting in September 2014.

“Is our understanding of you your own understanding of yourselves? If it’s not, and in some areas of our lives and beliefs there cannot be a shared understanding, nonetheless, how can we respect that difference and even rejoice in it?” he said, and outlined a number of joint projects of the Archdiocese with JUF that put those words into action. He cited a skills-training program for youth in the Israeli Catholic village of Fassouta (which he visited with JUF leaders in 2008), and social studies curriculum for Catholic schools called “Modern Israel: Holy Land and Jewish State”. He thanked the Jewish community for sending volunteers to work with Catholic Charities during the holidays, and lauded other pursuits, from the Catholic/Jewish Scholars’ Dialogue, to the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture, to the work of Hillel with Catholic campus ministries and with the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

“As I conclude, let me say that what I have personally learned…is that the new narrative of Catholic/Jewish relations will be written if we write it together”

Jewish leaders met with Archbishop Blase Joseph Cupich, who succeeded Cardinal George last November, at the Jewish United Fund on April 15. Recalling Cardinal George’s legacy, Cupich called on Jews and Catholics “to continue the healing process.”