Pfleger apologizes for Clinton comment
The Chicago priest whose comments about Hillary Rodham Clinton reignited the controversy over Barack Obama's former church stood before his own parishioners Sunday and apologized.
Speaking from a lectern in the front of St. Sabina Church's sanctuary, the Rev. Michael Pfleger said he isn't racist or sexist and called the past few days "the most painful" of his life.
"I apologize for anyone who was offended and who thought it to be mockery," he said. "That was neither my intent nor was it my heart."
Pfleger said he's received more than 3,000 angry and threatening e-mails since videos have circulated of remarks he made as a guest speaker at Trinity United Church of Christ last Sunday.
During that sermon, Pfleger, a Catholic priest, pretended he was Clinton crying over "a black man stealing my show."
Pfleger's statements, coupled with a series of inflammatory remarks by Trinity's longtime pastor, prompted Obama to announce on Saturday that he and his family had resigned their 20-year membership from the massive church on Chicago's South Side.
Pfleger -- a 59-year-old white priest at a largely black parish on Chicago's South Side -- is known for impassioned antics and outspoken activism that includes protests and acts of civil disobedience.
The drama Pfleger's known for was there on Sunday during a spirited church service packed with loud music from a live band, performances by dancers and singers, and parishioners not shy about having a raucous good time at worship.
"Hate me if you will. Hate my imperfect presentation. Hate my imperfect dramatization. Hate my imperfect articulation. I have never presumed to be anything, but imperfect, but I pray that I can still beat the drum of justice even if sometimes I'm off beat," he said.
Since last week's fiery sermon at Trinity, Pfleger promised not to campaign or even mention any candidate by name. He held to that promise Sunday.
But members of his parish seemed unfazed by the attention and greeted him with applause and a standing ovation Sunday.
"I told you he can't help his self," said 82-year-old Louise Snow. "Father Pfleger is God's man."
Church member Tom O'Connor went to mass wearing an Obama campaign button and said it's not unusual for the priest to be caught in the political cross hairs.
"He's not afraid to speak out," he said. O'Connor said Clinton's campaign is based on her perception that white working class men won't vote for a black man. "I don't think that's true. I think he told the truth," O'Connor said of Pfleger.
Pfleger was closely watched by security at Sunday's service and parishioner David Griggs was disheartened by the angry e-mails Pfleger said he had received.
"That's sad commentary on our state of affairs in this country," Griggs said.