On Dec. 11, Cardinal George celebrated vespers with priests and seminarians at Queen of All Saints Basilica, 6280 N. Sauganash Ave. Members of the Mundelein Schola led the music for the services and hundreds of priests attended including Scalabrinian Father Gino Dalpiaz, associate pastor of Santa Maria Addolorata Parish, 528 N. Ada St. Dalpiaz has been a priest for 62 years and remembers his own 50th anniversary well. “It’s a milestone in the life of a priest,” he said. “It’s a gift.” Dalpiaz said he always wanted to be a priest and offered some advice to Cardinal George on looking past the 50th anniversary. “Just take one day at a time. Every day is like a 50th anniversary after that,” he said. “I wish him many, many long years of peace and serenity that perhaps he didn’t have as bishop because you’re always on the firing line there.” Some archdiocesan seminarians from Mundelein attended the vesper service, which was also followed by a dinner. Seminarian Christian Shiu from St. Therese Chinese Catholic Mission in Chinatown said that Cardinal George is a positive example of spiritual fatherhood. “A spiritual father is one who is always there. And Cardinal George is always around, whether it is at the seminary or at different parishes celebrating Mass. He’s always available.” Shiu recalled reading an interview with Cardinal George from when he came back to Chicago. He talked of his polio and his leg being weak. Sometimes he might fall and asked for help getting back up. Shiu said the cardinal went on to use that analogy that he might fall in other ways too, but the people could help him get back up and they would journey on together. “It was really humbling and inspiring because we each bear a cross,” he said. “To hear those comments and that humility and that honesty really struck my heart as something we can all follow.” Deacon Bradley Zamora said Cardinal George is an example of how to live out the Gospel well. “He’s always held very close to what the Word of God says and has shown us how to live that out,” Zamora said. The cardinal has shown this through good and bad moments. Zamora recalled the cardinal’s first bout with cancer and said it was “beautiful” how he went through that prayerfully. “No matter where you are or in what context you are with him, he always says ‘Pray for me,’” Zamora said. “As a future priest that is something we have to constantly ask our people to do if we are going to be good shepherds.”