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

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Instead, to be vulnerable meant to have the courage to be honest and tender.

Then in 1995 came the news of cancer. He wrote several books on ethical issues such nuclear weapons and abortion and he always followed and believed in the church’s views- as a true disciple would. He was an avid pro-life campaigner and even in his last days attended rallies in support of such causes. We can assimilate his actions to those of Christ, and Jesus’ teaching the word of God. He spoke what he believed and most often Bernardin made others believe that what he was saying was the truth. He knew that the truth would set him free (John8:32). Cardinal Bernardin embraced this new way of thinking, as he became aware of the entire body of Christ as well as other social issues, especially in the well being of the poor in his community. " He became the "unofficial chaplain" to Chicago cancer patients, taking the time to visit children and adults alike and to bless them. People worldwide were shocked, whether they believed the story or not. 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. It is this courage that made Bernardin a true disciple in the end. Only a man of great religious faith could make such a statement. However cancer was still his ‘desert experience’ in the sense that he was alone, especially at night when he was unable to sleep. Cardinal Bernardin sought to embrace death as a natural part of life; he treated death as a friend.

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