Francis Eugene George, OMI (born January 16, 1937) is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of Chicago, having previously served as Bishop of Yakima (1990–1996) and the Archbishop of Portland (1996–1997). He was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope John Paul II in 1998. George is the current President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and is in charge of one the largest U.S. dioceses in terms of Catholic population. A member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he had once served as prior provincial, or head, of the American province of his order; before that, he taught at some noted American seminaries. He was elected the moderator for North America at the 2008 World General Synod of Bishops Meeting.