Cardinal George Mundelein

A portrait photograph of Cardinal George Mundelein. 

George William Mundelein (July 2, 1872 - October 2, 1939) was the archbishop (1915-1939) and cardinal (1924-1939) of Chicago. Cardinal Mundelein was a leading figure in the Americanization of the Catholic Church. He strove to unify the ethnic Catholic groups such as the Poles and Italians into one parish, the effort was somewhat successful. As a moral leader, Cardinal Mundelein condemned Adolph Hitler and wished to establish a higher learning facility for Catholics in Chicago. He founded St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Area, Illinois, a town northwest of Chicago. Area later changed their name to Mundelein in his honor.