Two days after Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich announced that an independent review had found no reason to believe Pfleger was guilty of a new sexual abuse allegation, the activist priest held a boisterous news conference to vow that the accusations would not end his decades-long campaign against social injustices.
“I will not be silent, and I will not be silenced,” he said, declaring he would continue to speak against the “genocide” in Gaza, the mistreatment of immigrants, the dismantling of the Voter Rights Act, the war in Iran and a “war on the poor in poverty.”
This is the fifth allegation against Pfleger that archdiocesan investigators have found to be unsubstantiated.
Cupich wrote in a 24th August letter to the faithful of St Sabina parish, “The Review Board has concluded there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation. After careful consideration I have accepted their conclusion and have reinstated Father Pfleger to ministry at St Sabina, effective immediately.”
With his suspension from ministry announced on 11th July, Pfleger spent about six weeks removed from active ministry, saying he missed block parties, the church picnic, food giveaways, Friday night marches and seven Sundays with the parish.
Since he became pastor at St Sabina in 1981, Pfleger has been outspoken on political and community issues, including a successful campaign to remove liquor and tobacco billboards, several anti-gun violence protests and criticism of President Donald Trump.
Some of his choices have been controversial and even prompted archdiocesan intervention, like inviting Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan – known for extreme rhetoric about Jews – to speak at the parish.
“It is not a coincidence to me that two weeks before this accusation took place, I called out the president of the United States again for his wickedness, and his never ending flood of lies,” Pfleger said at the press conference, referencing ongoing weekly threats, including to burn down his church.
Pfleger quoted his friend Rev Daniel Berrigan, “If you want to follow Jesus, you better look good on wood,” referencing the way Jesus suffered on a cross though he did not sin. In his own words Pfleger said, “I believe that this world is in the shape that it is because too many people, and in particular, too many faith communities, have closed their eyes and buried their heads in the sand while evil was loud and strong with its wickedness and injustice.”
Flanked by a crowd of parishioners of the historically Black Catholic church, Pfleger decried the impact on the church of repeated unfounded accusations and subsequent suspensions from ministry. “For the last four weeks, our collection has been down over $US10,000 a Sunday,” he said.
“Some people are just angry and hurt – I can’t come into the church and feel this way and worship,” he said of their experiences.
Pfleger also said that his doctor had told him the “public humiliation” and stress over the allegation “is not helping the radiation treatment” he has been receiving for cancer. He announced he was cancer free on 31st July.
The impacts will be long-lasting, Pfleger said. “This accusation and others will follow me to the end of my life. In my obituary, they’ll be talking about the accusation,” he said.
Pfleger and his lawyer, a high school classmate of Pfleger’s, decried the archdiocesan process for investigating abuse claims and said that they were pushing to reform the process and quicken investigations, without exact information about the changes they’re seeking.
In a 11th July Facebook post, Pfleger said Chicago’s vicar for priests told him the allegation had been made by a woman who said she went to elementary school at St Sabina and that she was abused by Pfleger “at some time” between 1993 to 1995.
In his letter, Cupich praised the value of an independent investigation for ensuring fairness and truth for the accuser, the public and the accused priest.
“No one should underestimate the value of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even if it is made public and requires a substantial amount of time,” he wrote.
Cupich wrote that he recognised the parish had endured suffering that was “real and painful” due to Pfleger’s absence, but that he hoped the Gospel reading from this coming Sunday, where Jesus talks about taking up a cross to follow him, will free them “from any sadness and disappointment.”
“Sufferings are not punishments or even tests of our endurance for pain. Rather, Jesus calls them crosses and thus associates them with his own,” wrote Cupich.
“As we carry our crosses alongside Jesus, He transforms our sufferings into something much bigger than we ever imagined. Our sufferings mean something. With Him we bring about the salvation of the world.”