The Life of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin
Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, the former Archbishop of Chicago, was a gifted and remarkable man. His thoughtful leadership raised awareness of difficult issues behind the nuclear arms race and the economic problems faced by the poor. His faith in God and the existence of eternal life led him to live an exemplary life, even in times of great moral difficulty. His adoption of the faith was most evident in his way of life in the sense that he often relied on scripture and the belief that Jesus always walked with us to help him walk the right path in his own life. Bernardin lived his entire life as a true disciple of Jesus and a loyal son of the Roman Catholic Church. We are told in Matthew 16:24; "A true disciple of Jesus is someone who denies himself, takes up his own cross and follows Jesus."Growing up, Bernardin lived in impoverished conditions and was not at all materialistic. When he was 6, his father died leaving Bernardin to look after his mother and sister. This contributed to Bernardin's sense of independence as a child and it was early in his life that he decided that God and his family were the most essential things in his life. In his adolescent days, Bernardin was headed for a career path as a Medical Doc
Then in 1995 came the news of cancer. Knowing the odds and that the cancer would soon kill him, Cardinal Bernardin could have retired for health reasons, instead he did not- he refocused his entire priestly ministry for a new priority; "to spend time with the sick and the troubled." He became the "unofficial chaplain" to Chicago cancer patients, taking the time to visit children and adults alike and to bless them. He would often take special attention to certain patients and even ask for reports on how they were doing. He had a great affection for people and was viewed upon as overly caring. Cardinal Bernardin sought to embrace death as a natural part of life; he treated death as a friend. Only a man of great religious faith could make such a statement. It was through an attitude to his own death that Bernardin made others less afraid to die. However cancer was still his 'desert experience' in the sense that he was alone, especially at night when he was unable to sleep. Like the suffering Christ, cancer was Bernardin's own cross to bear. Cardinal Bernardin was always perceived as a Good Shepard to the community of Chicago, as well as other Christian and non-Christian communities in America. He had openness to everybody, but with openness came a degree of vulnerability. However to Cardinal Bernardin, to be vulnerable did not mean he had to be a weakling, or he had to go out of his way to show others his faults and weakn
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Approximate Word count = 963
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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