CHICAGO—Activist priest Fr. Michael Pfleger announced on Facebook he was informed by the Archdiocese of Chicago that it will meet again Saturday to review the latest sexual abuse allegation made against him.
The long-time St. Sabina priest was removed from active ministry in mid-July when a woman who said she went to St. Sabina's grammar school claimed Pfleger sexually abused him in the early 1990s. Pfleger has called the allegation "an absolute lie" and has no recollection of the woman, as do parishioners, attending the school.
Pfleger announced on Tuesday on Facebook that he was just told by the Archdiocese "that they are continuing their meeting until Saturday."
"I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY," he wrote in all caps on Facebook.
Comparing the severity of the storms that roared through the Chicago area earlier this week to his personal "storm within," Pfleger addressed his flock on Facebook.
Dear family,
Yesterday was a very painful and difficult day. The severity of the storm in the weather reflected the storm I was facing within. Yesterday took me to a new low place. I spent most of the day alone knowing that only God could lift me from where I was. While disgusted and disappointed, I still trust God and I still believe truth outshouts lies.
Love you,
Father Mike
A St. Sabina parishioner, virtually all who have expressed they "stand with Father Mike," said in response:
"What they [the archdiocese] fail to realize is if you decide to leave the catholic church [sic] and start your own church that [the] whole congregation will leave with you! Dang near the whole school too! Then they will be left with an empty building and an empty school! Your impact on the south side is greater than the archdiocese!"
Pleger has served as pastor of St. Sabina Church in the South Side Auburn-Gresham neighborhood since 1981. Many parishioners refer to Pfleger as "our dad" and have described this latest round of allegations as "the crucifixion of Father Michael Phleger." Pfleger and his parishioners have called for reform in the Archdiocese of Chicago's process of reviewing sex abuse allegations levied against clergy, which Pfleger says deems priests guilty until proven innocent.
The embattled priest has faced similar allegations and was removed from ministry in 2021, when he was accused of sexually abusing minors more than 40 years earlier. At the time, parishioners staunchly defended the priest.
Less than two months later, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said it found "no credible evidence" of allegations that he sexually abused two boys during the 1970s.
In 2022, Phfleger was again accused of sexually abusing a child, this time during the 1980s. In a letter to parishioners at the time, he said the same attorney who represented two adult brothers from Texas who accused him in 2021 "has found a new client to make different allegations against me."
It is unknown if the woman making the current allegation has legal representation.
Under the archdiocese's child protection policies, the allegation has been reported to police, and the accuser has been offered the services of the Victim Assistance Ministry.
The allegation is currently being investigated by the archdiocese's Independent Review Board that determines the validity of such allegations, which appears to be meeting on Saturday.
"We do not presume the truth or falsity of an allegation until the process is complete and our Independent Review Board has made a recommendation that I accept," the archbishop said last month in a letter to the St. Sabina community. "As your parish has been through this before, I can well understand your distress in learning of this development."
In an email to Patch, the archdiocese stated that the Independent Review Board is doing its work and following their usual process.
"We are conducting an investigation, and the letter that was shared with the parish states that he denies the allegation, and that an allegation is not proof of guilt or innocence. We are committed to following the same thorough and impartial process with everyone so accused. Only by doing this can we be assured of fairness to all concerned."
Phleger has claimed that he has been "threatened, slandered and attacked" throughout his ministry for calling out racism and for his stance against gun violence.
"Let me be clear, sexual abuse is wrong, and I realize that the Catholic Church has a long history of not dealing with accusations and has spent a number of years putting strong policies in place, but I have said countless times I believe the current policy is wrong and unfair to the accused priest … The presumption of innocence does not exist for priests."
Father Thulani D. Magwaza will continue to serve as pastor of the church.
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