Less than two weeks after making highly publicized statements related to the presidential candidacy of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) activist priest Father Michael Pfleger, leader of the Faith Community at St. Sabina, was disciplined by the Archdiocese of Chicago.The pastor’s congregation, however, has mobilized to support him and vowed to fight the ruling.
By June 8 the fight appeared to be over with announcement that Father Pfleger would return to the pulpit June 16.
Days earlier that outcome was far from certain and parishioners feared the temporary could mean a precursor to the priest’s removal.
Susan Burritt, media relations director for the Archdiocese of Chicago speaking on behalf of Cardinal Francis George, told The Final Call the archdiocese has received “several hundred” email messages and telephone calls. She described St. Sabina as a “vibrant and organized” parish and stressed Father Pfleger is still a priest however, he is being asked only to step back from his pastoral duties at St. Sabina. It was not the cardinal’s desire to be punitive, she said. Ms. Burritt spoke to The Final Call before the announcement of Father Pfleger’s return.
“The cardinal is Father Pfleger’s pastor,” said Ms. Burritt. “He (Pfleger) is being asked to think, reflect and pray, to step out of the whirlwind for a moment,” she said.
Father Pfleger was invited to speak at Trinity United Church of Christ on May 25, which is a United Church of Christ (UCC) congregation. The UCC had announced dialog sessions on race at various UCC churches as part of efforts to promote understanding, reconciliation and healing after months of attacks aimed at the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, former Trinity senior pastor, following media misrepresentation of some of his statements.
Father Pfleger offered his perspective on White feelings of entitlement to leadership that exist in America. He used the presidential candidacy of Sen. Clinton as an example of this mindset and his comments were delivered in the context of Sen. Barack Obama emerging as the Democratic frontrunner when Sen. Clinton’s campaign was described as having an “air of inevitability.” Most political pundits—and perhaps even the Clinton campaign—seemed to see the primaries as mere formalities that would result in Mrs. Clinton’s “coronation” as the Democratic Party choice for president.
Many understood Father Pfleger’s comments and the truths resonated with those in the audience familiar with a style of delivery in the Black faith tradition. Others were offended and insulted and felt Father Pfleger was mocking Sen. Clinton, when excerpts appeared on YouTube and television.
After his comments became public, the controversy pushed Sen. Obama to announce he was severing ties with the church after two decades of membership.
On May 30, Father Pfleger was reprimanded by Cardinal George. In a carefully worded publicly released statement, Cardinal George said the Catholic Church “does not endorse political candidates” and “while a priest must speak to political issues that are also moral, he may not endorse candidates nor engage in partisan campaigning.”
“Racial issues are both political and moral and are also highly charged. Words can be differently interpreted, but Fr. Pfleger’s remarks about Senator Clinton are both partisan and amount to a personal attack,” the statement said.
On June 1, Father Pfleger apologized to his congregation and shared how he had received more than 3,000 angry emails, after his lecture at Trinity. He also released an apology via St. Sabina’s website.
On June 3, Cardinal George released another statement saying he had asked Father Pfleger to “step back from his obligations” at St. Sabina and to “take leave for a couple of weeks from his pastoral duties, effective today.”
The statement said, “Fr. Pfleger does not believe this to be the right step at this time. While respecting his disagreement, I have nevertheless asked him to use this opportunity to reflect on his recent statements and actions in the light of the Church’s regulations for all Catholic priests.”
The Archdiocese of Chicago assigned 68-year-old Father William Vanecko to act as an administrator over St. Sabina Church during Father Pfleger’s absence.
Cardinal George said he desired life at St. Sabina to continue in an “uninterrupted fashion.”
Parishioners at the south side church questioned why a “temporary” administrator was brought in.
“Under Father Pfleger’s leadership, the church has produced trained ministers, priests, deacons, and lay leaders who are empowered to live the fullness of the Gospel,” said Gerald Stewart, St. Sabina’s parish council president.
“As a collective group, we are opposed to the appointment of a temporary administrator. While any administrator may be capable, St. Sabina is led by a group of pastoral ministers, lay leaders and pastoral associates, who are more than capable of leading the day to day operations of our church in Father Pleger’s absence,” he added.
“This is not about a man, this is about a principle,” Min. Kimberly Lymore, an associate pastor at St. Sabina, told the standing room only crowd assembled at the church June 3. “It’s about justice,” she said.
The emergency meeting included several religious and political leaders such as 17th Ward Alderwoman LaTasha Thomas, state Sen. Jackie Collins and Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, who upon entering the sanctuary received a thunderous standing ovation from the over 2,000 parishioners and supporters present.
On June 4, there was another press conference on the steps of the church and the St. Sabina school board said the decision left many kindergartners “distraught” that Father Pfleger would not be present for their June 7 graduation.
Among the flock, there was nearly unanimous sentiment that Father Pfleger’s removal was punitive. Vera Avery, a 13-year member of St. Sabina, told The Final Call she would not be in church until Father Pfleger is back.
“Father Pfleger has not said anything that we have not said, in fact, I heard tonight on the news a commentator saying basically the same thing, using the same words regarding this entitlement thing—it’s exactly true. It is the truth!” said Ms. Avery.
St. Sabina member Emma Gheuri is originally from Kenya. She searched 10-years for a church where she could feel comfortable being Catholic and Black. She was on a “road to nowhere” and almost quit the faith before finding Father Pfleger’s church.
“It is hard to be Catholic in the United States when you are Black,” said Ms. Gheuri. “Our pastor has taught us to be disciples and as disciples, we have to speak the truth and the truth hurts. The majority of the people in this country do not want to hear the truth.”
Fifty-nine-year-old Chicago resident Willie Walls lives in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood where St. Sabina is located. Though not a member of the church, he said Father Pfleger was “a good man” and it was “very bad and really sad” that the archdiocese had acted in this manner.
“What (Pfleger) is doing is right,” said Mr. Walls. “I think the people should rally around him and support him and stand up for him like he’s done (for them).”
Associate Minister Kimberly Lymore read a letter from Father Pfleger June 8. The priest said it “has been a very painful time for me.
The priest also called for the ordeal to be seen as “a teaching moment for us to hear from the Lord.”
Parishioners erupted into applause upon hearing that Father Pfleger would soon return.
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