St. Sabina parishioners demand Pfleger's return

Because Father Michael Pfleger transformed his church into a personality cult--which is very un-Catholic, by the way--no one should be surprised that that parishioners of St. Sabina are calling for Pfleger's return to the pulpit.

Defiant St. Sabina parishioners demanded Cardinal Francis George reinstate their controversial pastor, the Rev. Michael Pfleger, just hours after he was removed Tuesday from his post against his wishes.

"We respectfully request the cardinal immediately reinstate Father Pfleger as full pastor of St. Sabina," Gerald Stewart, president of the parish council, told an estimated 2,000 people packed into the South Side church Tuesday evening. The group included longtime Pfleger friend the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who has been blasted for his own controversial statements on race.

Stewart said parishioners wanted an immediate meeting with the cardinal to discuss "the future of the entire faith community of St. Sabina." Pfleger did not attend the prayer service, but was on the St. Sabina campus, said Randall Blakey, a parish Cabinet member. Pfleger and Wright went out to dinner after the service.

On Tuesday afternoon, George issued a statement saying he asked Pfleger to "step back" and take a "couple of weeks" of leave from St. Sabina.

It's really hard to figure how this one will end. The animosity between the Cardinal and Pfleger is not a secret. Cardinal George could have put Pfleger on leave last week when they met to discuss his incendiary comments about Hillary Clinton made at Trinity United Church of Christ.

Did the Cardinal's boss, the Pope, make the call on this one?

Related post:

Father Pfleger out, at least temporarily, at St. Sabina

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