Washington D.C., Mar 1, 2021 / 12:20 pm (CNA).- The parish of St. Sabina in Chicago announced on Sunday that it would withhold its monthly contributions to the archdiocese until an abuse investigation into its longtime pastor is completed.
Two brothers in January had accused Fr. Michael Pfleger of sexually abusing them when they were teens. Pfleger denies the allegations, but he stepped aside from ministry after the first accusation was made and the archdiocese first announced its investigation. Fr. Pfleger is known for his outspoken social justice activism.
Almost two months after the first allegation was made against Pfleger–and the archdiocese announced its investigation–Pfleger’s parish on Sunday said it would stop sending its monthly assessments to the archdiocese in order to expedite the investigation.
“In its continued effort to get the Archdiocese of Chicago to swiftly conclude its investigation into the allegations against Fr. Pfleger, that it has made the decision to withhold the monthly assessments of the church and school to the Archdiocese starting in March,” read a statement from St. Sabina officials. The statement noted that the assessments amount to around $100,000 per month.
The parish said that they would not use the funds for “ministry, outreach, or any current or future programs,” and would pay the archdiocese in full “at the conclusion of the investigation.”
The Archdiocese of Chicago did not respond to CNA’s request for comment by press time.
Since Pfelger stepped aside from ministry, his parish has been outspoken in their support of their pastor. Parish officials have organized press conferences, sold t-shirts, and encouraged their parishioners to contact the archdiocese in support of Pfleger.
The Faith Community of St. Sabina’s Facebook page on Feb. 24 claimed that the state’s department of children and family services had already “completed their investigation on Fr. Pfleger with the results unfounded,” and that “The archdiocese has not given us an update as to when Fr. Pfleger can return even though the allegations have been deemed baseless.”
“With all due respect, our request is simple: Reinstate Fr. Michael Pfleger and clear his name. Period,” the post said.
The Archdiocese of Chicago, meanwhile, has said there was a “basic misunderstanding” about the state’s investigation–including that the state had not yet sent a letter to the archdiocese on the outcome of its investigation.
“Our understanding is that the [Department of Children and Family Services] is not directly investigating the veracity of the allegations against Fr. Pfleger,” the archdiocese said in a Feb. 24 letter.
The Archdiocese said that the state was rather investigating whether there was a “risk of harm” to children. Depending on the contents of the letter the archdiocese said it had yet to receive from state officials, “there may be no conclusion about guilt or innocence in this case.”
Regarding its own investigation, “it is difficult to predict how long it will take to reach a final determination,” the archdiocese said, as “much of the process is not within our control.”
“We are convinced that the procedures for dealing with these cases, developed and enhanced over the years, work. They should be followed by all organizations that care for and educate young people,” said the archdiocese. “It is ironic that we are now accused of taking too long to consider allegations because a priest is prominent and well regarded.”
Pfleger, who is white, has been the pastor at the predominantly African-American parish since 1981. During his time as a priest, he has been known for his social and political activism, supporting gun control and advocating on behalf of the Black community. He has also been a supporter of women’s ordination.
In his time as pastor, Pfleger has also adopted two boys, and became foster father to a third who was eventually killed in 1997 by crossfire from a gang shooting.
Since Pfelger took the helm at St. Sabina, the parish has become known for its social activism and unique worship style.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
If Fr. Pfleger is guilty, can you imagine how this is making those two brothers feel? “Our former parish family cares nothing about us and what we’ve suffered.”
And if he is found guilty, what will the parishioners do? Demand that he continue to be their pastor?
They don’t seem to be Catholic; they seem to be a personality cult whose god is Fr. Pfleger.
If he is innocent of the charges, he ought still to be reassigned, because this is an extremely unhealthy situation. Perhaps an actually Catholic priest could be assigned? Under the protection of St. John Vianney?
If he is innocent of the charges? Isn’t he presumed innocent until proven guilty?
The parishioners of St. Sabina are just as Catholic as any other parish. The suggestion that the appreciation and gratitude for how he has worked to improve the community is absurd. How is this working relationship unhealthy? It is a robust partnership between the church and the community. It’s almost impossible to nourish a man’s soul while his body is being shot at, hungry, under employed, etc.
Why should he be reassigned if found innocent? That would amount to punishing the senior pastor and his congregation partners for something he didn’t do.
If you don’t have one, I hope that this type of church/community partnership comes into your life soon.
I said “if he is innocent” just as I said “if he is guilty.” I was not presuming his guilt, I was discussing two possibilities.
He should be reassigned because it is clear from this and from other news reports that he is running more of a personality cult than a Catholic parish. In the past he has informed his bishop that he will leave the Church rather than accept reassignment, for example.
Take a look at the website. There’s no mention of being Catholic; the references are all to “St. Sabina Faith Community,” and nowhere do I see “St. Sabina Catholic Church.” “Worship services” are metioned, but nowhere do I see “Mass.” It doesn’t even use the word “Easter,” but rather “Resurrection Sunday,” rather an odd thing for a Latin-rite Catholic church. You seem convinced that St. Sabinea is “just as Catholic as any other parish,” but I see no evidence of that.
“If you don’t have one, I hope that this type of church/community partnership comes into your life soon.”
If I am ever in a parish whose priest is running a personality cult, defying authority, threatening violence to a gun store owner, supporting pro-abortion politicians, inviting racists and anti-Semites to come and speak in his church, etc., I hope that my bishop be a good enough shepherd to protect his sheep by removing the priest from the parish and, if necessary, from public ministry.