Father Michael Pfleger being investigated for alleged sexual abuse of minor 30 years ago, Archdiocese of Chicago says

The Archdiocese of Chicago announced in a letter on Saturday that it's investigating an allegation of sexual abuse against Father Michael Pfleger. 

In a letter to members of St. Sabina Church, the archdiocese said the Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review has received an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against Father Pfleger that was alleged to have occurred at St. Sabina more than 30 years ago.

Due to the allegation, Father Pfleger will step aside from ministry and live away from the parish during the investigation, the archdiocese said. 

Father Pfleger has denied the allegations. He released a statement that read in part, "I believe this is another attempt and another attack by those who have sought to destroy me for years and another attempt by someone to get money from the Archdiocese and to silence me."

In the meantime, Father Thulani D. Magwaza will serve as pastor of Saint Sabina Parish and will attend to the needs of the parish and school communities.

"The Archdiocese of Chicago takes all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously. We appreciate the courage it takes to step forward and encourage anyone who believes they have experienced abuse or inappropriate behavior by a member of the clergy, religious or lay employee of the archdiocese to report it to the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth. They will be received with compassion and respect," the letter read.

Back in October 2022, Father Pfleger fought another allegation by a man in his 40s, who then said that in the 1980s he was a member of the Soul Children of Chicago Choir, which rehearsed at St. Sabina, where he claimed the abuse started. He was cleared of that claim. 

The year before that, in January 2021, two adult brothers filed claims of more decades-old abuse. That time Pfleger was also asked to step aside and was away from his ministry for several months before a panel found "insufficient reason to suspect" he was guilty. 

Full statement from Father Michael Pfleger

On Thursday, July 9th, I received a call from the Vicar for Priests saying a woman who said she went to school at St. Sabina made an accusation that she was sexually abused by me at some time between 1993-1995.

First, this is an absolute lie.  For the 51 years of my ministry I have been threatened, slandered, and attacked.  I was suspended twice because of my calling out of racism and suspended for unfounded accusations.  My background has been investigated from high school, college, graduate school, and all the years of my ministry and all accusations were determined to be unfounded.

I have been publicly attacked due to my public position against gun violence, my opposition against the inhumane policies and practices of Donald Trump, and even because of my friendship with Minister Farrakhan. 

I get weekly hate calls and emails because of what I fight for and believe.  Just this past week I received numerous hate calls due to an action I took last Sunday washing the feet and apologizing to representatives of Indigenous People, Hispanics, African Americans, the LGBTQ+ community, Iranians, Venezuelans, women and young African American males for the persecution they have suffered in America.  I have been under constant attack by the present administration which I have vocally condemned as unlawful, racist and wicked.  For this I will not apologize.

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.  Before an investigation or even a conversation has taken place a priest is removed and told to remain silent during their process. The presumption of innocence does not exist for priests.  But at this point, I will no longer be quiet.  I have no memory of this girl nor do countless others who have been at St. Sabina for those years.  The statement she has supposedly made is absolutely not true, and the facts will show that this is just an attempt by someone who is either being unfairly manipulated by others to hurt my reputation, or who is simply trying to make money by making false accusations.

I believe this is another attempt and another attack by those who have sought to destroy me for years and another attempt by someone to get money from the Archdiocese and to silence me.

I will not stand by and allow my name, my ministry, and the church I pastor to be slandered or defamed.