Saint Sabina Parishioners Want Father Pfleger Back, Slam Church’s Handling Of Sex Abuse Probe

AUBURN GRESHAM — Leaders and parishioners at Saint Sabina Church are calling for the reinstatement of Father Michael Pfleger and demanding the Archdiocese of Chicago reform its investigation policy, days after the senior pastor was removed from the church amid sexual abuse allegations. 

Pfleger is being investigated for an accusation of sexual abuse against a girl when she was a student at Saint Sabina School between 1993-95, the senior pastor said in a July 11 statement. 

The Archdiocese of Chicago asked Pfleger to step aside from his role at the parish and live off campus while the accusation is investigated, Cardinal Blase Cupich previously wrote in a letter to parishioners.

“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,” Cupich wrote in the letter. “Only by conducting a thorough and impartial review can we ensure fairness to all concerned.”

Pfleger called the accusation an “absolute lie” and a public attack to silence his public social and political advocacy.

Church members gathered at Saint Sabina, 1210 W. 78th Pl., on Friday to “get our pastor back,” attendees said. Pfleger was not in attendance.

During a Friday press conference, Felicia Chase, vice chairperson of the Parish Council at Saint Sabina, read from a letter that church leaders said they would be delivering to the Archdiocese of Chicago. In it, leaders called for reforms to “preserve the dignity and rights of both the accuser and the accused.”

The revised investigation policy should also provide greater transparency into the investigation procedure, offering timelines while ensuring the process is conducted as quickly as possible without compromising integrity, Chase said.

The Archdiocese’s current process “fails to differentiate” between the need for an accused priest to be removed because of ongoing alleged abuse and “circumstances where there is no reasonable concern that any alleged abuse is ongoing,” Chase said.

“We agree that a bona fide allegation of abuse by a priest must be fully and fairly investigated, regardless of what allegedly occurred,” Chase said. “The process, however, of a public announcement of the accusation by the cardinal and the removal of the accused priest from his ministry before an investigation is done is unjust and unnecessary.” 

Pfleger has faced four previous accusations of sexual abuse during his time at Saint Sabina.

Pfleger faced child sexual abuse allegations in January 2021 when two brothers came forward saying he groomed and sexually abused them for years, beginning when they were around 12 and 13 years old. In March of that year, a third man accused the church leader of abusing him in the ’70s when the man was 18 years old. 

Pfleger was reinstated after the previous allegations were investigated, with the archdiocese finding no evidence of wrongdoing. His returned to the pulpit in 2021 to a crowds of supporters.

In October 2022, Pfleger was again temporarily removed from his role as investigators looked into a claim the pastor sexually abused a boy while he was a minor more than 30 years ago.

The repeated investigations have caused “scrutiny, emotional anguish and damage” to Pfleger’s reputation,” Chase said. The congregation has experienced “grief, disruption and the emotional burden” of watching Pfleger being removed during an active investigation three times, Chase said.  

Previous allegations of sexual abuse against the senior pastor “have been determined to be unfounded after excruciating and thorough investigations, yet his reputation and his community continue to endure permanent and terrible pain and damage for no real reason,” Chase said. 

Church members demanded that the current investigation be concluded swiftly and that the Archdiocese host a meeting with Saint Sabina leadership in the immediate future, Chase said.  

“The faith community of Saint Sabina has remained steadfast in every challenge because they believe in the leadership of our pastor,” Chase said. “We now ask the archdiocese to demonstrate that same courage in committing itself to meaningful reform. The credibility of our church depends not only on the willingness to protect those who report abuse, but also its willingness to ensure that every person involved is treated with fairness, dignity and justice.”

Former Illinois Sen. Jacqueline Collins attended Friday’s news conference to support calls for reforms. Pfleger previously worked with Collins to pass legislation for victims of sexual abuse “because he believed in providing the protection for the the children,” Collins said. 

Pfleger has been accused of sexual abuse because of his “recent advocacy and determined commitment to the empowerment of the Black community,” Collins said. 

“When you look at the impetus for the slander and the humiliation and the charges, you always find there’s a motive behind it — ill intent to destroy this man,” Collins said. “We will not stand for it.” 

Pfleger’s spirit has “taken a hit,” said Kimberly Lymore, associate minister at Saint Sabina. Lymore has been in touch with Pfleger since his removal from the church. 

“It’s dehumanizing, embarrassing, frustrating and disappointing that he has to go through this again after the other accusations have gone unfounded,” Lymore said. “There’s not enough trust. I don’t think they put enough trust in their priests. They want obedience, but they don’t want to trust them.” 

Pfleger was ordained in 1975 and became pastor of St. Sabina Church in Auburn Gresham six years later. He has remained in the role since then.

In a statement posted to Facebook July 13, Pfleger said he would not “sit by and watch my life, ministry, nor the church I love be slandered.”

“I want you to know that I do not intend to let this drag on and drain this church family,” the statement continued. “If it is not over very soon, I will make a decision.”