Father Pfleger Removed From Ministry Over New Sexual Abuse Allegations

CHICAGO, IL — Well-known activist priest Father Michael Pfleger has again been removed from ministry surrounding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor at his longtime parish.

In a letter to the St. Sabina community, Cardinal Blase Cupich said the abuse is alleged to have happened at the far south side parish more than 30 years ago.

"In keeping with our child protection policies, I have asked Father Pfleger to step aside from ministry and live away from the parish while the allegation is investigated," Cupich said. "Yet, you should know that Father Pfleger strongly denied the allegation."

Cupich said Father Thulani D. Magwaza will continue to serve as pastor of the church.

Cupich said the Archdiocese of Chicago takes all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously, saying the welfare of children is its "paramount concern."

Cupich said 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.

"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 said.

"As your parish has been through this before, I can well understand your distress in learning of this development," the archbishop wrote.

Phleger previously 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."

At the time, the priest also called the archdiocese's process for investigating priests "unfair," saying that "priest are presumed guilty until proven innocent."

On Monday, much of the same sentiment could be seen on Phleger's social media page, where his defenders decried the latest allegations, including one person who referred to the investigation as "the crucifixion of Father Michael Phleger."

In a statement on Saturday, Phleger said he received a call Thursday notifying him of an accusation from a woman who said she went to school at St. Sabina and had been sexually abused by him some time between 1993 and 1995.

He called the allegation "an absolute lie," saying he has "no memory of this girl, nor do countless others who have been at St. Sabina for those years."

Phleger said 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."