The curious non-violence of Father Pfleger

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Mar 27, 2012

Do you remember Father Michael Pfleger?

Of course you do. How could you forget the Chicago priest whose public mockery of Hillary Clinton—then competing with his favorite candidate, Barack Obama, for the Democratic presidential nomination—earned him a brief leave of absence?

How could you forget his antics just about a year ago, when he refused to accept a new parish assignment from Cardinal George, insisting that he wanted to remain at St. Sabina’s, where he has been for 30 years? When Cardinal George did not immediately back down, Father Pfleger escalated their conflict with a public statement that certainly sounded like a threat to leave the priesthood. That statement won him a suspension from ministry. But when he apologized, Cardinal George reinstated him. And guess what? He stayed at St. Sabina—thereby teaching young children everywhere that if they really can hold their breath until they turn blue, Mom and Dad probably will let them watch their favorite TV shows.

So what’s Father Pfleger doing these days? He’s still on stage—I use the term advisedly—at St. Sabina’s. Here’s a recent sample of his pastoral style.

Oh, and by the way: Earlier this year Cardinal George gave Father Pfleger new responsibilities, as administrator of another parish (in addition to St. Sabina’s), and as head of an archdiocesan drive against violence. That’s right: The priest you see haranguing his congregation in that video, screaming for action, is in charge of preventing violence.