Survivors
Services
Successors
Contributions
Cardinal Joseph Louis Bernardin is survived by his mother, Maria Bernardin, and a sister, Elaine B. Addison.
Mrs. Bernardin, who turned 92 on the day of her only son's death, lives in a Catholic nursing home in Chicago. Until recently, the cardinal visited her several times a week.
Because of her diminished capacities, she was not told about her son's illness and has not been told of his death.
Mrs. Addison, 63, is married and a mother of four. She lives in Columbia, S.C., where she and her brother grew up.
In a recent interview, Mrs. Addison said of her brother: ''He accepted responsibility and watched out for me and helped my mother. I always thought that was just part of his nature... He's a real listener -- he makes you feel like you are important.''
The cardinal's father, Joseph, died in 1934, of cancer.
CHICAGO -- People will be able to pay their respects to Cardinal Joseph Louis Bernardin virtually around the clock from 3 p.m. Monday through 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The cardinal's body will be moved to Holy Name Cathedral -- his home church -- at 1 p.m. Monday.
The public visitation will be interrupted only by the following events that require tickets:
- An 8 p.m. Monday vigil for priests, brothers, nuns and parish leaders
- A 9 a.m. Tuesday ecumenical prayer service with leaders from the Episcopal, Greek Orthodox and Lutheran communities
- A 2 p.m. Tuesday memorial by a delegation of Jewish leaders
- An 8 p.m. Tuesday prayer vigil for priests.
The chief celebrant will be Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, a close friend of the late cardinal.
For additional details, see the Archdiocese of Chicago's Web site at http://www.archdiocese-chgo.org.
Following the Mass, Cardinal Bernardin's body will be placed in the bishops' mausoleum at Mount Carmel Cemetery in suburban Hillside.
In Cincinnati, three services are planned:
- A memorial service will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Eighth and Plum streets. Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk will preside.
- 8:15 a.m. Tuesday at Athenenaeum of Ohio-Mount St. Mary's Seminary, Beechmont Ave., Mt. Washington
- Noon Tuesday at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Mater Dei Chapel, Delhi Township
-- Julie Irwin
BY JULIE IRWIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Observers say it won't take the Vatican long to name a replacement for Cardinal Joseph Louis Bernardin. The cardinal gave his bosses a heads-up when he announced in August that he had less than a year to live, and he traveled to Rome in September to discuss his successor.
Whoever the next archbishop of Chicago is, he likely won't find it easy stepping into the shoes of a beloved and prominent leader whose death inspired many.
Cardinal Bernardin's ''combination of intelligence, pastoral sensitivity and interpersonal skills allowed him to be a real leader,'' said the Rev. Thomas Reese of Woodstock Theological Center in Washington, D.C. ''He's going to be a very hard act to follow... No one's going to be able to fill his shoes.''
Observers say that, judging from the pope's recent picks, the successor will probably be a theological conservative. But Chicago is a notoriously liberal archdiocese that chafed under Cardinal Bernardin's more conservative predecessor, Cardinal John Cody.
Historically, Chicago's archbishops have already been archbishops when appointed, rather than bishops, said James Hitchcock, a professor of history at St. Louis University.
Professor Hitchcock pointed out that few of the pope's recent appointments have been activists: ''He keeps appointing men who are personally conservative but very diplomatic.''
Possible successors include:
- Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, a protege of Cardinal Bernardin's and a centrist.
- Cleveland Bishop Anthony M. Pilla, another centrist Midwesterner and current president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- Pittsburgh Bishop Donald W. Wuerl, considered a conservative who works well with moderates and liberals.
- Seattle Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy, moderately liberal and a former Chicagoan.
- St. Louis Archbishop Justin F. Rigali, a conservative with more than two decades' experience working at the Vatican.
In lieu of flowers, Cardinal Joseph Louis Bernardin asked that memorial contributions be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor, the religious congregation that cares for his mother, Maria. Checks should be made and sent to: Little Sisters of the Poor, 2325 N. Lakewood Ave., Chicago 60614.
Cards of condolence should be sent to Bishop Raymond Goedert, Archdiocese of Chicago, Box 1979, Chicago 60690.
Published Nov. 15, 1996.
