Chicago cardinal suspends priest at center of Clinton flap

Five days after muzzling the priest who mocked Sen. Hillary Clinton, Cardinal Francis George on June 3 suspended the Rev. Michael Pfleger and told him to “reflect on his recent statements and actions.”

“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,”George said. “Father Pfleger does not believe this to be the right step at this time.

“While respecting this 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.”

Pfleger, who is white, apologized Sunday after a May 25 speech at Sen. Barack Obama’s former church in which he said Clinton cried on the campaign trail because “there’s a black man stealing my show.”

Last week, George ordered Pfleger to abstain from partisan politics and the outspoken priest agreed to “not publicly mention any candidate by name” through the November elections.

In an interview with The Chicago Sun-Times, Pfleger said he disagreed with George that “as a Catholic priest, I’m not allowed to publicly support a candidate. I said my understanding was that, as an individual, I can support anyone I want.”

Nevertheless, Pfleger said he consented to the cardinal’s decree because “I did not want to create another distraction for him or for Barack.” Pfleger said he did not think his remarks at Trinity United Church of Christ were being recorded.

Asked if he was in jeopardy of being removed from his longtime pulpit at St. Sabina’s, Pfleger said, “Because of the hierarchical nature of the archdiocese, I think you’re always serving at the discretion of the cardinal.”

— RNS