George James Rassas

George James Rassas (born May 26, 1942) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 2005 to 2018.

Biography

Early life and education The oldest of six children, George Rassas was born on May 26, 1942, in Baltimore, Maryland, to George and Frances (née McGuire) Rassas. His father, the son of Greek immigrants, converted to Catholicism from the Greek Orthodox Church while attending the University of Notre Dame. George met Frances after sustaining an injury during a football game and then being treated at Mercy Hospital in Chicago by her father, an Irish Catholic doctor. The younger George Rassas graduated from Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago in 1961. He then attended Niles College in Chicago and the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, obtaining a philosophy degree. After finishing college, Rassas served as a deacon at St. Thaddeus Parish in Chicago for a year.

In 1990, Rassas was assigned as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Lake Forest, Illinois. In 1999, Rassas assumed the additional duty as chair of the Presbyteral Council, serving there until 2002. He received his episcopal consecration on February 2, 2006 by Cardinal Francis George, with Bishops Gerald Kicanas and José Eguren Anselmi serving as co-consecrators, at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.

Rassas was appointed as the episcopal vicar for Vicariate 1, which includes Lake and Cook counties in Illinois He was a founding board member and board chair for Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan, Illinois.

Retirement and legacy On July 3, 2018, Pope Francis accepted Rassas' letter of resignation as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago after he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.