Father Michael Pfleger asked to Step Down by Cardinal

Catholic Online ^ | 6/3/08 | Deacon Keith Fournier

[tcg]

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.”

[tcg]

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

[spectre]

So that's it? Two weeks? That's a vacation for cryin out loud.

sw

[Izzy Dunne]

That's a vacation for cryin out loud.

Hillary was the one cryin' out loud.

Pfleger was the one making fun of it.

;->

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Stay out of Fort Marcy Park during the two weeks you’re on “leave,” Padre! You’ve made a powerful enemy. ;)

[driftdiver]

I’m gonna hold my breath until the IRS investigates this church and takes away their tax free status.

Then again, maybe not.

[ChiMark]

Cardinal George you are a coward!

[Travis McGee]

Pfleger won’t obey.

[cubreporter]

He should be drummed out of the Catholic core totally. Why was he preaching at Trinity church anyway? Why wasn’t he giving sermons at his own Catholic church? I think the man is a fraud and should never be back on the pulpit again!

[Radix]

The Cardinal merely “asks”?

That fellow is an embarrassment and he should be given the highest rebuke possible for his indiscretions at that despicable black Protestant so called church pulpit.

But this a new age and where “sola scriptura” is anathema and idiocy abounds.

[laweeks]

“Stay out of Fort Marcy Park during the two weeks you’re on “leave,” Padre! You’ve made a powerful enemy. ;)”

Same for Hussein Obama . . . he better watch his back too . . . he’s a marked man right now . . . the Clintonistas are furious that Hitlery got dumped by an empty-suited, anti-American, loudmouth black.

[Biblebelter]

Cardinal George has no teeth.

[ought-six]

Cardinal George will boot Pleger’s sorry ass if his political rants threaten the tax-exempt status of the Church.

[cyberstoic]

two weeks??!!!

Back in the old days of Cardinal Cody, Cody would have “suggested” the he minister to those in need in Chicago’s sister Diocese in Juno, Alaska, or perhaps to one of the cloistered parishes out of the country where they would, literally, not be heard from again.

Cardinal George asks Pfleger to take a 2 week paid vacation. Times certainly have changed.

This guy needs to be defrocked.

[henkster]

He should be “outsourced” to missionary work to some hungry cannibals in New Guinea. With his entertaining manner of “preaching” the natives can have “a show & dinner.”

[ClearCase_guy]

This is a case where I support the "Don't ask, just Tell" approach.

And not for just two weeks either.

[festus]

Father Pfleger will be gone. The two weeks is to allow them time to figure out the next steps. Thats according to local reports who’s links I don’t have available at the present time.

Father Pfleger is nothing new in Chicago. He’s just new on the national scene.

[SuziQ]

Nah, I'm thinking he's taking his sweet time, and trying to do this in a non-reactionary manner, since this doesn't involve doctrine, but just on priest's actions. Let's see what Fr. Pfleger does with this 'vacation'. If he mouths off in the press, and makes an a$$ of himself, he'll just make matters worse for himself, and there won't be a whole lot of folks who will be as supportive of him when the Cardinal makes his next, more serious move.

At that point, more folks will be supportive of the Cardinal, because they will see that he was trying to act in a reasonable, and pastoral manner, but Fr. Pfleger threw it back in his face. T'would make a good 'teaching moment'.

[Fred Hayek]

Same for Hussein Obama . . . he better watch his back too .

And even more so if he is so foolish to name HRC as Veep.

[Dinah Lord]

Perhaps he should be sent to Africa since he feels the pain of the African experience so much....

[A.A. Cunningham]

Archdiocese of Chicago

STATEMENT OF FRANCIS CARDINAL GEORGE, O.M.I.,
ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO
June 3, 2008

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.