The grand concrete steps in front of St. Sabina Church were packed Wednesday morning as parish members crowded to stand with their newly reinstated pastor, the Rev. Michael Pfleger, both physically and spiritually.
A jovial energy enveloped the crowd of around 100 community members, Leo Catholic High School students and St. Sabina staff members, who stood shoulder to shoulder. Many wore custom T-shirts bearing slogans such as “Ain’t no pastor like the one I got” and “Truth will reveal.” Cheers erupted as Pfleger, the church’s pastor for over 40 years and a community advocate, took to the microphone.
Pfleger spoke at a central podium not only to announce his renewed position at the church in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, but also to challenge the Archdiocese of Chicago’s process for investigating child sexual misconduct, a system he has encountered multiple times in recent years.
“Brothers and sisters, the archdiocese’s process is unjust, and it’s broken,” Pfleger said. “There is no balance, nor fairness. Without a simple investigation, a background check or even an interview, a priest can be removed and told to find a place to live and to find a lawyer to represent you at your own expense.”
This came after Pfleger himself was on leave for more than a month while the Archdiocese of Chicago investigated an allegation that he sexually abused a female student at St. Sabina 30 years ago. He was on leave from his South Side parish from July 11 until Monday, when Cardinal Blase J. Cupich reinstated him. The claims were ultimately deemed unfounded. This was the fifth time Pfleger has faced abuse allegations since 2021, with all previous claims unsubstantiated as well.
Pfleger alleged that the current investigation process in cases of child sexual abuse assumes guilt until the accused person is proved innocent, contrary to United States legal ethics.
“The problem with the process in simple terms is that it’s too quick to accuse and to remove a priest, and too slow to resolve it,” said Pfleger’s lawyer, Jim Figliulo.
The archdiocese’s process of reviewing any misconduct allegations of child sexual abuse is thorough, according to Mayra Flores, director of the Chicago Archdiocese’s office of assistance ministry. When a claim is brought forward, be it recent or from decades ago, Flores’ office meets with both the accuser and the accused. Afterward, the church official is temporarily removed from their position until an unbiased investigator determines if the claims are substantiated.
The cardinal has final say to accept the board’s decision regarding the church members and reinstate them, or he can ask for more information, according to Flores.
After decades of sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Chicago adopted policies and programs to “address the scourge of child sexual abuse and to support survivors.”
Cupich previously told the Tribune all reports of abuse are reported to civil authorities and thoroughly investigated by an independent review board.
“Every allegation is taken seriously, and I know that’s hard for some people to understand because it would be difficult for someone to just come and make an allegation,” Flores said. “Each one is taken seriously, which is the reason we always follow our process”
There is no specific timeline set for how long it takes a case to move through the archdiocese’s system. Regardless of how many times accusations have been brought against the same individual, the process remains the same.
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“Each case is judged on its own merits,” Flores said.
Community members present on Wednesday backed Pfleger in encouraging the archdiocese to adopt a fairer investigation process, asking for more evidence before a pastor is removed from duty.
Tina Hammond, a St. Sabina parishioner of more than 10 years, agreed that the archdiocese’s investigations into child sexual abuse need amendment. She said the archdiocese must fix the system so that no other priests have to go through what Pfleger did.
“This fight is not just for Father Mike. It’s for all the priests coming behind him. Everything he does is never just for done for him; it’s done for others, as well,” Hammond said.
With his child sexual misconduct investigation behind him, Pfleger will return to heading St. Sabina’s Sunday services this weekend. Additionally, he will resume attending regular church outreach and social justice activities, including peace walks and marches.
“While you have thrown dirt at me, you have simply caused me to grow deeper roots so that I can grow taller and I can bear new fruit,” Pfleger said. “I am not going to remain silent and I will not be silenced. In fact, I am going to turn up the volume on justice, on righteousness, on truth and on love.”