CHICAGO (June 2, 2004)

Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago, will travel to France tomorrow to be the guest of the Catholic community on Normandy for the 60 th Anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings and the battle of Normandy.

Invited to Normandy by Bishop Pierre Auguste Pican of the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux, Cardinal George leaves Chicago on Thursday, June 3, and returns Monday evening, June 7. The itinerary for his trip is attached.

The Cardinal will honor those who fought on the D-Day beaches and in the Second World War by celebrating a special Mass for the Dead on Saturday, June 5, at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer overlooking Omaha Beach. During his visit, the Cardinal also will celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Etienne (St. Stephen) in Caen, take part in an ecumenical prayer service that will include representatives of the Holy See, and venerate the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Lisieux.

Cardinal George will be joined in Normandy on most of these occasions by a delegation of 20 people traveling with the Lumen Christi Institute for Catholic Faith, Thought and Culture at the University of Chicago.

In 2001, Cardinal George visited France to participate in the Lenten lectures offered at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.

Visit to Normandy, France
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago
With Lumen Christi Institute Delegation
June 3 - 7 , 2004

Friday, June 4 9:35 a.m.
Arrival in Paris/Travel to Caen
(Cardinal will stay at Abbaye-aux-Dames in Caen)

3 p.m.
Arrival at Lisieux/Tour of sites associated with St. Thérèse
(Cathedral of St. Pierre, Carmel of Lisieux, Basilica)

TENTATIVE 6:30 p.m.
Mass/Dinner with Lumen Christi delegation at the Carmel of Lisieux

Saturday, June 5 9:15 a.m.
Tour of American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer above
Omaha Beach with Cemetery superintendent and representative of American Battle Monuments Commission

10:30 a.m.
Mass at the American Cemetery on a cliff above Omaha Beach : Organized in conjunction with the American Battle Monuments Commission, Cardinal George will celebrate the Mass in English and offer the homily. Bishop Pierre Pican of Bayeux and Lisieux and Rev. Daniel Coughlin, Chicago native and chaplain to the U.S. House of Representatives, will concelebrate the Mass. U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (IL) plans to attend the Mass and will speak briefly after it. The Lumen Christi delegation will attend.

12:30 p.m.
Luncheon at Hotel Mercure with the Society of the First Division ("The Big Red One"), including veterans of the D-Day landing on Omaha Beach: the luncheon is hosted by Richard Behrenhausen (Brig. Gen. U.S. Army Ret.), President of the McCormick Tribune Foundation. The Lumen Christi delegation will attend.

4:30 p.m.
Ecumenical Te Deum Prayer Service of Thanksgiving -- Church of St. Etienne, Abbaye-aux-hommes, Caen: Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will preside. Cardinal George will offer prayer petitions during the service.
The Lumen Christi delegation will attend.

Sunday, June 6 8:30 a.m.
Solemn High Mass in Abbey Church of St. Etienne (Abbaye-aux-hommes) celebrated and with the homily offered in French by Cardinal George. The Lumen Christi delegation will attend.

3:30 p.m.
Multi-National Ceremony with Heads of State (including U.S. President George W. Bush) at invasion beaches at Arromanches: the Cardinal/Lumen Christi delegation will attend.

Monday, June 7 Early a.m.
Mass in Caen or Lisieux/Departure for Paris

2:20 p.m.
Depart Paris on American Airlines Flight # 41 for Chicago

4:30 p.m.
Arrive Chicago O'Hare