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{{Short description|American Catholic priest and social activist (born 1949)}}
{{lead too short|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox person
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'''Michael Louis Pfleger''' (born May 22, 1949) is an American [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] priest and social activist located in [[Chicago]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ctcp.edn.depaul.edu/Pfleger.htm |publisher=[[DePaul University]] |access-date=July 8, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041114182059/http://ctcp.edn.depaul.edu/Pfleger.htm |archive-date=2004-11-14 |title=Rev. Michael Pfleger}}</ref> Since 1981, he has been pastor of St. Sabina Catholic Church, a [[African Americans|Black]] parish in Chicago's [[Auburn Gresham, Chicago|Auburn Gresham]] neighborhood.
He has been the subject of a number of controversies, mostly involving his public comments and activities related to his pro-Black stance on social issues. He was suspended on occasion for such incidents.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Pfleger has also been the subject of multiple sex abuse allegations, including three in 2021 and one in 2022. All were found to be unsubstantiated by the Archdiocese of Chicago.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Priests accused of abuse: Archdiocese of Chicago reinstates Father Michael Pfleger at St Sabina Church after investigation {{!}} abc7chicago.com |url=https://abc7chicago.com/amp/father-michael-pfleger-reinstated-chicago-priests-accused-of-abuse-archdiocese/12555867/ |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=abc7chicago.com}}</ref>
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===Social activism===
[[File:Fr. Michael Pfleger, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Min. Louis Farrakhan and C.T. Vivian conversing in the Rectory dining room (14752023375).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Fr. Michael Pfleger, Rev. [[Joseph Lowery]], Min. [[Louis Farrakhan]] and [[C.T. Vivian]]]]
[[File:St Sabina Church Chicago 2012.jpg|thumb|St. Sabina Church, Auburn Gresham, Chicago]]
Pfleger's social activism has brought him media coverage throughout Chicago and beyond. He has often collaborated and associated with African American religious, political and social activists such as [[Jeremiah Wright]], [[Joseph Lowery]], [[Jesse Jackson]], [[Harry Belafonte]], [[Cornel West]] and [[Louis Farrakhan]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Golab|first1=Art|title=Pfleger draws key support 13 black leaders back priest|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4605102.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220220610/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4605102.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 20, 2016|access-date=December 22, 2015|agency=Chicago Sun Times|publisher=
===Anti-drug campaigns===
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In 2000, Pfleger received international attention for encouraging his parishioners to buy time from [[Prostitution|prostitutes]] as a means of inviting the women to counseling and job training.<ref>Ernest Tucker. [http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_product=NewsBank&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%200EB4246F0201A199%20)&p_docid=0EB4246F0201A199&p_theme=aggregated5&p_queryname=0EB4246F0201A199&f_openurl=yes&p_nbid=S5CG58DMMTI1ODMyNTg3Mi40NjE5MTg6MToxNDoyMTYuMTQ3LjIxNS4zMw&&p_multi=CSTB "Church outreach creates buzz."] ''Chicago Sun-Times''. March 30, 2000; retrieved July 8, 2007.</ref>
The [[Chicago Archdiocese]] largely distanced itself from Pfleger's activities, to which he responded, "How is what I'm doing not part of the [[gospel]]? The church leaders talk about [[Evangelism|evangelization]]. Well, if this isn't evangelization, I don't know what is." Saint Sabina raised several thousand dollars for his program, attracting many donors from outside their parish. St. Sabina has used similar methods to reach out to [[Illegal drug trade|drug dealers]].<ref>Dirk Johnson. "A Priest Pays Prostitutes for Time, Offers Them an Escape", ''[[The New York Times]]'', April 12, 2000. pg. A18</ref>
===Southside Catholic Conference controversy===
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===Pfleger and Jeremiah Wright===
On March 28, 2008, Pfleger invited [[Jeremiah Wright]], former pastor of then-U.S. Senator and presidential candidate [[Barack Obama]], to deliver a blessing at Saint Sabina during a visit by poet [[Maya Angelou]]. Wright had been criticized by Obama, academics and political pundits on the left and right for several [[Jeremiah Wright controversy|controversial sermons]], but Pfleger came to Wright's defense. "I wanted him to come here so he could see that people really stand with him and support him while he's under all this attack. America, unfortunately, has been really cheated of knowing the real Dr. Wright," said Pfleger.<ref>[
In a statement on Saint Sabina's website, Pfleger wrote, "Dr. Wright is one of the great [[Bible|biblical]] scholars of our country and the best of preachers in the prophetic tradition. Dr. Wright has been shamefully demonized by 30 second sound bites that have tried to re-define him into someone other than who he is."<ref>[http://www.saintsabina.org/ Statement by Rev. Michael L. Pfleger on Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright's Visit to the Church on March 28, 2008]; retrieved April 2, 2008.</ref>
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Cardinal George rebuked Pfleger, saying, "Publicly delivering a threat against anyone's life betrays the civil order and is morally outrageous, especially if this threat came from a priest." Pfleger claimed that he did not intend to use the word "snuff" as a slang term for "kill", but rather as a substitute for "pull", as he used later in his statement.<ref>Susan Hogan. [http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_product=NewsBank&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%20119A5F0BCE8C4610%20)&p_docid=119A5F0BCE8C4610&p_theme=aggregated5&p_queryname=119A5F0BCE8C4610&f_openurl=yes&p_nbid=H59D55PJMTI1ODMyNjI4Ni42ODMwMzA6MToxNDoyMTYuMTQ3LjIxNS4zMw&&p_multi=CSTB "Cardinal rebukes Pfleger for 'threat'"], ''Chicago Sun-Times'', June 8, 2007.</ref>
====Unlicensed
▲Pfleger always travels with armed bodyguards when participating in protests. In 2014 Father Pfleger was criticized for attending an anti-gun rally while being protected by 3 or more armed bodyguards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gunssavelife.com/rank-hypocrisy-father-pfleger-comes-to-gun-control-march-with-armed-bodyguards/|title=RANK HYPOCRISY: Father Pfleger comes to gun control rally with armed bodyguards|website=www.gunssavelife.com}}</ref> On May 27, 2018 a member of his security detail was arrested outside St. Sabina when officers noticed him brandishing a pistol. Upon investigation, the officers discovered that the bodyguard, Eugene Hale, did not possess a Concealed Carry License and was not legally licensed to carry a weapon in public or even own a weapon due to not possessing a Firearm Owner Identification Card (FOID).<ref>[https://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511437418-armed-member-of-pfleger-s-security-arrested-outside-his-church Armed member of 'Pfleger's security' arrested outside his church].</ref>
===Controversy during 2008 presidential election===
On May 25, 2008, Pfleger gave a sermon at [[Trinity United Church of Christ]], then
Pfleger said, "I really believe that she just always thought, 'This is mine. I'm [[Bill Clinton|Bill's]] wife. I'm white, and this is mine. I just gotta get up and step into the plate.' Then out of nowhere came, 'Hey, I'm Barack Obama,' and she said, 'Oh, damn! Where did you come from? I'm white! I'm entitled! There's a black man stealing my show!'" He then pretended to wipe tears from his face, a reference to Clinton's emotional speech before the [[United States presidential election in New Hampshire, 2008|New Hampshire primary]], and added, "She wasn't the only one crying. There was a whole lot of white people crying."<ref name="McCormick" />
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=== Louis Farrakhan ===
In May 2019, Pfleger invited [[Louis Farrakhan|Farrakhan]], the leader of the [[Nation of Islam and antisemitism|notably]] antisemitic [[Nation of Islam]] to speak at Saint Sabina—a controversial act in
Cardinal [[Blase J. Cupich|Blase Cupich]] thereafter apologized, reprimanded Pfleger for inviting Farrakhan to speak at the church, and asked Pfleger to visit the local [[Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center|Holocaust Museum]] to reflect.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Issa|first=Nader|date=2019-05-10|title=Cupich apologizes to 'my Jewish brothers and sisters' after Farrakhan speech|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2019/5/10/18618828/cupich-apologizes-to-my-jewish-brothers-and-sisters-after-farrakhan-speech|access-date=2021-01-06|website=Chicago Sun-Times|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
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On May 24, 2021, following an investigation, the Archdiocese of Chicago said Pfleger would be reinstated as pastor. Cardinal Cupich wrote: "The review board has concluded that there is insufficient reason to suspect Father Pfleger is guilty of these allegations."<ref>{{cite web|last=Gutowski|first=Christy|date=2021-05-24|title=Cardinal reinstates Pfleger after probe finds 'insufficient reason to suspect' he's guilty of child sex abuse allegations. 'Let's get back to work,' St. Sabina pastor says|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-father-pfleger-reinstated-sabina-20210524-ptbpkxtosbd3xdvfylo7olfvui-story.html|access-date=2021-05-24|website=Chicago Tribune|language=en-US}}</ref>
On October 15, 2022, another abuse allegation was reported and Pfleger again stepped away from ministry pending an investigation. The individual making the accusation stated that the abuse took place in the church rectory during practices of the Soul Children of Chicago Choir.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |title=Another Man Files Sexual Abuse Claim Against Father Michael Pfleger |url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/another-man-files-sexual-abuse-claim-against-father-michael-pfleger/2968744/ |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=NBC Chicago |date=15 October 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> In a letter to his parishioners, Pfleger denied the allegations and noted that they were brought by the same attorney that represented his previous alleged abuse victims. He also published a letter from an attorney representing the Soul Children of Chicago Choir, which supported Pfleger and noted that choir practices "always had chaperones and parent attendants watching over the children."<ref>
{{Cite web|date=2022-10-15|title=New Investigation of Allegations: Statement, Letter, Support|url=https://saintsabina.org/fall-2022-new-allegations-and-removal|access-date=2022-10-15|language=en-US}}</ref>
On December 10, 2022, the archdiocese announced that its investigation was complete and the charges could not be substantiated, and Pfleger was reinstated as pastor at St. Sabina.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Catholic Archdiocese reinstates Father Michael Pfleger, says 'no reason to suspect he is guilty' |url=https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-catholic-archdiocese-reinstates-father-michael-pfleger-says-no-reason-to-suspect-he-is-guilty.amp |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=www.fox32chicago.com}}</ref>
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==Further reading==
* {{cite magazine |author=Osnos, Evan |author-link=Evan Osnos |date=February 29, 2016 |title=Father Mike : a militant white priest fights for his black parishioners on the South Side |department=Letter from Chicago |magazine=The New Yorker |volume=92 |issue=3 |pages=36–45 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/02/29/chicagos-political-priest <!--access-date=2016-09-22-->}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://saintsabina.org/ Saint Sabina Parish Website]
* [http://saintsabina.org/index.php/about-us/our-pastors/senior-pastor-rev-michael-pfleger/rev-pfleger-s-biography Saint Sabina biography of Michael Pfleger]
* {{C-SPAN|1018467}}
{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago|state=collapsed}}
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[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Loyola University Chicago alumni]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
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