Father Michael Pfleger asked to Step Down

Francis Cardinal George has asked Father Pfleger to step down from his pastorate for a two week leave.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - Father Michael Pfleger, the Pastor of an inner City Parish in Chicago, Illinois, St. Sabina's Catholic Church, has stepped into the National Press cycle for over a week.

The parish is a predominately African American Church and has been deeply involved in economic and social justice issues.

The Priest has been controversial for years in many circles and beloved in some others.

He is an advocate for the poor and the downtrodden. However, there is nothing about his and Saint Sabina's commitment to Social Justice which is not supposed to be present within other Catholic Parishes.

Care for the poor and the marginalized is a tenet of Catholic Social teaching.

What propelled this Priest onto the National Stage was his vocal and active support of the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama for President. He served openly as a member of an interest group called "Roman Catholics for Obama",

Priests cannot run for political office under Catholic Canon law. However, they are citizens and have the right to personally support candidates. It is clear, they are not to do so from the ambo, or what is also called a pulpit in some other churches.

Nor are they to make partisan politics the focus of their ministry. They are shepherds, teachers and pastors of souls.

The Priest was asked to resign his position in that organization by Francis Cardinal George of the Archdiocese of Chicago where he is incardinated.

He complied.

Next, he made outlandish remarks in another pulpit, that of a Protestant Church which is also a matter of public notoriety, Trinity United Church of Christ. These remarks further exacerbated the problem and brought National attention to the controversial Catholic Priest.

This was the pulpit once occupied by the retired Pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright. This is the Church where Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama became a Christian and where he, his wife and his children attended for years until they resigned formally in May.

In that flamboyant sermon, he ignited a firestorm that will not die down. He made mocking, belittling statements and gestures about Senator Hillary Clinton.

The remarks were provocative, divisive, racially tinged and shocking to anyone who hears them. Many have. They were distributed virally through the blogosphere.

Senator Obama, who has already publicly disavowed Rev. Wright's controversial comments, soon found himself having to disavow this Catholic Priest. He did so from the campaign trail with these words:

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"As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that unites us.... That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together."

Father Pfleger, after being corrected by the Cardinal, apologized for his words. He issued a statement saying: "I regret the words I chose on Sunday. These words are inconsistent with Sen. Obama's life and message, and I am deeply sorry if they offended Sen. Clinton or anyone else who saw them."

He further agreed to abide by the Cardinal's direction to cease his involvement in overt political activity for any candidate.

However, the controversy has not subsided and Cardinal George has now expanded his pastoral oversight and care of his priest. He has asked Father Pfleger to step down from his pastorate for a two week leave. The directive, like the last one, was made public by the Cardinal's office. The priest was not supportive of the request:

"To put recent events in some perspective, I have asked Father Michael Pfleger, Pastor of St. Sabina's Parish, to step back from his obligations there and take leave for a couple of weeks from his pastoral duties, effective today.

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. I hope that this period will also be a time away from the public spotlight and for rest and attention to family concerns.

I hope also that the life of St. Sabina's parish may continue in uninterrupted fashion. Fr. William Vanecko, Pastor of St. Kilian's parish, will be temporary administrator of St. Sabina's and will assure the full complement of ministerial services during this period.

I ask the members of St. Sabina's parish to cooperate with him and to keep him and Fr. Pfleger in their prayers. They are in mine."

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