Pfleger removed from parish after sexual abuse allegation
Father Michael Pfleger, the longtime pastor at St. Sabina Church and an outspoken anti-gun violence advocate, has been removed from the Auburn Gresham parish following revelations of a decades-old sexual abuse allegation against a minor.
Cardinal Blase Cupich announced "the difficult news" in a letter to the St. Sabina community Tuesday, saying he has "asked Father Pfleger to step aside from ministry following receipt by the Archdiocese of Chicago's Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review of an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor more than 40 years ago."
Cupich said Pfleger agreed to his request and will live away from the parish during the course of the archdiocese's investigation. The allegation has also been reported to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Cook County state's attorney's office, Cupich said.
Pfleger did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening.