Notorious, Obama-loving priest suspended
Fr. Michael Pfleger has been the bane of Chicago pro-lifers’ existence for years.
For example, in 2003 Pfleger invited pro-abort Rev. Al Sharpton to speak from the pulpit on a Sunday at his church, St. Sabina’s, an event I picketed with Pro-Life Action League.
In 2008 Pfleger endorsed pro-abort/pro-infanticide Barack Obama for president, getting himself suspended by Cardinal Francis George for his subsequent racist remarks against Obama opponent Hillary Clinton. Who could forget…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAfy5PFJwcg[/youtube]
Priests in Chicago are supposed to serve no more than 2 consecutive 6-yr terms at a parish. But due to Pfleger’s popularity with his primarily African-American congregation, he has been allowed to serve 30 yrs at St. Sabina.
But no more. No surprise, a move by Cardinal George to finally move Pfleger blew up. Long story short, according to the Northwest Herald:
George suspended Pfleger on Wednesday after public comments in which Pfleger… suggested he would leave the church if George reassigned him to a local Catholic high school.
Here is what Pfleger said in a radio interview:
I want to try to stay in the Catholic Church. If they say you either take this principalship of a high school or a pastorship there or leave, then I have to look outside the church.
The Chicago Tribune interviewed George about the situation. I’ve never listened to him for any length of time. He appears to be a very wise man…
Good riddance, Michael Pfleger, unless you repent… on a lot of things.
[HT: Illinois Review]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
This man has committed many sacreligious acts during Mass. This took way too long, but thank goodness he is not leading others astray (at least for now) in the name of the Catholic Church.
I agree this took too long. He thought he was above the church. I am glad Cardinal George got a chuckle about Pleager’s accusation that he supports the NRA.
My skin crawls when I watch that Pfleger video. He should have been removed then. Thank goodness Cardinal George finally pulled rank. Pfleger can leave and take his so-called “catholic parishioners” with him. I’m sure he and Wright could go into business together where they can foment all the hate they want. Jesus would be so proud of them both!
Cardinal George was brilliant in his offer of the high school President position. It should have made everyone happy. Not only was Fr. Pfleger not being “demoted” (though he should have been long ago), but he was being offered a prestigious position, and he would have been taken out of where he was causing harm to souls through his abuse of the Mass and his preaching.
Fr. Pfleger needs our prayers desperately. Priests are held to a higher standard by God, and I worry about Fr. Pfleger’s soul:
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”Mt 18:5
Pray for him to repent
How is putting a wayward Priest into a High School a good idea? If he’s problematic leading a Parish, how could he be fit to lead and shape the minds of the young and impressionable?
I don’t know one thing about the man, I’m just asking the question.
Michigan_Pat, It could have been a tactic of Cardinal George. Like calling his bluff. Don’t know for sure. All I know is that Cardinal Bernadine suspended Fr. Pfleger for two weeks. Big whoop. He should have been reprimanded years ago and if he wasn’t obedient he should have had his priesthood taken away. I know that Fr. Pfleger in the end will be judged and that will be by God. When he became a priest he vowed obedience and he has done the opposite.
You’re probably right Cassie, George probably knew Pleger wouldn’t take the high school position.
Thank God! Those high schoolers desperately need a godly leader, not a crackpot.
You’re right to be concerned for his soul Sylvia. He’s not exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, but rather, a carnal, unrenewed mind.
Like the rest of us, he needs to encounter God.
The Cardinal said Pfleger would be a president not a principal, so he would not be educating.
This was a “put out to pasture” opportunity for a guy who should have just gotten the boot.
As for the tail end of the interview, regarding the support of gun control – you see…. it could have a spiritual benefit: giving Christians more opportunities to “turn the other cheek”, get persecuted, be martyrs, etc.
So, picketing church services when you disagree with the content or speaker is an acceptable practice? Good to know
He was a Catholic? Man, you catholics never cease to amaze me…
Pfleger just had to drag the NRA into it.
He only wishes the NRA was involved.
Good grief.
There are few things as repulsive as this martyr-by-proxy jerk. How condescending and phony he is.
“So, picketing church services when you disagree with the content or speaker is an acceptable practice? Good to know”
With Al Sharpton as speaker, the forum becomes more political rally than church service.
Interesting. I thought one of the vows that priests make during ordination was one of obedience. Therefore, he must not question the decisions of the Cardinal as to where he works.
I would like to see the Catholic Church continue to take a more proactive stance on situations like this. This man is degrading the very pillars of what the Church stands for. If us Catholics do not do something about them, these people will continue to erode it until it falls.
If Cardinal George gives in again I will be really mad. I dont want Pfleger anywhere near the high school but he should be gone from St. Sabinas too.
He has disobeyed the Church at every turn. Priests should be a model of obedience for their parish. I would be happy to see him leave the priesthood, but not the Church. He should go back and study the teachings. Unfortunately I believe he was ordained during a time that the seminaries were very lax in their instruction.
It really makes me uncomfortable watching Fr. Pfleger using his male privilege to attack a woman partly because she is a woman who is married to a man who has had power (!!!), who had already been the victim of a number of sexist attacks from other corners, and using the cover of anti-racism to do it. Uncomfortable and angry. That is not how you fight for a more equal society. That’s just…sexism. :(
Ex-GOP Voter says:
May 3, 2011 at 10:21 pm
He was a Catholic? Man, you catholics never cease to amaze me…
Ex-Gop:
Like anywhere else there can be “rogue” priests. I never condoned this priest and I was appalled he was a pastor anywhere. However, I figured there were things going on to deal with the priest I didn’t know about, and based on what little of the video I watched (the volume was way too low–even when I turned my computer volume and the video volume all the way up) it sounds like there were things going on. I’m not in Chicago so I couldn’t expect to be “in the know”.
He seriously abused the rubrics of the Mass – no one is supposed to do the homily except an ordained man (deacon or priest). He openly defied his Bishop and declared he would leave the Church. In doing so – he actually put himself outside the Church, and therefor was not able, by virtue of being outside the Church, to pastor his particular church. It’s a little (bad analogy coming) like a person who let his doctor’s license lapse, declare that openly, and still expected to see patients while being employed in a doctor’s practice. If you give up the right to be in the body of the work, you should not expect to be kept on to work.
He should have been taken aside long ago. And this is one reason, when priests are kept in one position too long, and IF they start with small abuses, it runs into bigger ones. People start sinning in small things, and proceed to bigger, more grave offenses. Being a priest, he is to be held to very specific high standards. Hopefully, he will take the time in reflection and repentance and grow into the priest he should be.
Great racial relations, very poor priestly attitude. He can still do wonderful things. Let’s pray for humility and meekness of heart. Something we should all do also.
What I meant in my post was in any group there can be “rogues”. Whether it’s “rogue” priests in the Catholic Church or other “rogues” who don’t uphold the practices/beliefs of a particular group. (Just wanted to clarify that…realized later the wording was a little confusing, but that was after the time-period of being able to edit my previous post passed).
IMHO this is a very rebellious priest which has led to rogue teaching and an undisciplined parish who defy and picket Cardinal George whenever their priest has been disciplined. I am not Catholic but very dismayed by what I have seen in this priest promoting himself above the leadership of his church. How very sad. What a pathetic example to his parish and especially to the youth. ”Obedience is better than sacrifice” and “disobedience is as the sin of witchcraft”.
One of the main motivations for the Church’s transfer of priests from parish to parish is to avoid this kind of thing: where a man puts himself above his Church and his parish, instead of putting God first, chooses as their priority a theatrical, entertaining leader. This is what Jesus meant when he said we shouldn’t even love our parents or children more than God. He didn’t mean not to love our family, of course we should love our family, but we should not hold mere humans as more important than God’s will.
Besides, his theatrical prancing is racially divisive, not unlike a Sharpton, and about as counterproductive.
ninek explains it all. Brava! :)