On Wednesday, parishioners from Saint Sabina Church in Auburn Gresham assembled outside the Archdiocese of Chicago offices at 835 N. Rush St. to call for the reinstatement of senior pastor Father Michael Pfleger. The crowd chanted “Restore Father Mike” as they pressed the archdiocese to end what they describe as an unjust investigation.
Background of the investigation
Father Pfleger, who has led Saint Sabina for more than four decades, announced in early July that he was under investigation for an alleged sexual abuse incident involving a girl who attended the parish school between 1993 and 1995. Cardinal Blase Cupich asked Pfleger to step aside and live off‑campus while the inquiry proceeded.
Pfleger has publicly denounced the accusation as “an absolute lie” and a targeted attack aimed at silencing his social‑justice advocacy. In a July 13 Facebook post, he warned he would not “sit by and watch my life, ministry, nor the church I love be slandered.”
Parishioner response
Following the removal, Saint Sabina members gathered at the church’s 1210 W. 78th Place location to demand the pastor’s return and to urge the archdiocese to revise its investigative procedures so that both the accuser’s and the accused’s dignity are protected. Parish Council vice‑chair Felicia Chase called the pre‑investigation removal “unjust and unnecessary.”
Parishioner Tina Hammond, a longtime member, wore a “We Stand With Father Pfleger” shirt and praised the pastor’s community work, noting his efforts feeding the homeless, supporting college‑bound youth, and advocating for the LGBTQ community. She described his absence as “sad” and felt the removal was “targeted, unjust and unfair.”
Archdiocese’s process
The archdiocese’s Independent Review Board, which advises Cardinal Cupich on abuse allegations, met on Aug. 10 but postponed a decision to a later meeting. The board is now scheduled to reconvene on a Monday, with the expectation that it will receive the investigation file within 24 hours of the conclusion of interviews, according to Pfleger’s executive assistant Cory Williams.
Williams said the investigation, which included interviews with current and former staff as well as the alleged victim, was completed by July 23. He described the ongoing delay as causing “irreparable damage” to the Saint Sabina community and to Father Pfleger personally.
Past allegations and reinstatements
Father Pfleger has faced four prior abuse accusations. In 2021, two brothers alleged grooming and sexual abuse beginning when they were 12 and 13; a third man later claimed abuse from the 1970s. The archdiocese found no evidence and reinstated Pfleger that year. A similar temporary removal occurred in October 2022 after a claim that Pfleger abused a minor more than three decades earlier; he was again reinstated after the investigation cleared him.
Archdiocese statement
The Archdiocese of Chicago reiterated that all allegations are taken seriously and that the Review Board operates independently. A future announcement will be made once a decision is reached. The archdiocese emphasized that no one is entitled to special treatment, especially in matters of child safety.
Looking ahead
Parishioners hope the archdiocese will conclude its review promptly and consider policy changes to avoid “judging before investigating.” Until a decision is issued, the Saint Sabina community remains divided, with many awaiting the pastor’s return to continue his ministry and community outreach.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
