If Fr. Michael Pfleger is a "star", he'd best avoid being a "wandering star"

In the aftermath of the suspension of Fr. Michael Pfleger by Cardinal Francis George, let's take a quick look at a couple of examples of the sapient pronouncements of Fr. Pfleger's fans and supporters. First, from the Chicago Now website:

Father Michael Pfleger has been a star in the Catholic Church in Chicago and they don't realize it or appreciate it. ... I hope Father starts a new church where he can be free to full express himself as a man of God. 

Yes, indeed. In the words of the Psalmist: "Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars". Sure, I took that out of context a little bit, but having listened to a couple of Fr. Pfleger's sermons online, I don't think he'll mind at all.

However, on a more sober note, one might also consider the following from the Epistle of Jude: "...wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever." (And don't forget what the prophet Isaiah said about fallen stars.) One doesn't have to be a star to recognize that eternity spent wandering in the nether gloom of darkness cannot be as enjoyable as working for a while at Leo Catholic High School.

Here's another one, from a letter to the editor sent to the Chicago Tribune:

The Catholic Church's dismissal of Father Pfleger's from the ministry is no surprise. The only surprise is that it took the Catholic hierarchy so long to do it.

Here is a priest who actually practiced the word of Christ through his actions. He saw suffering and tried to end it. Neither our country nor the Catholic Church will ever be ready for that.

Exactly! Which is why Americans would never bother to give, say, over 300 billion dollars to charity in a year. And why the Catholic Church would never bother to establish hospitals, orphanages, soup kitchens, charities, homeless shelters, or crisis pregnancy centers. Who's ever heard of such a thing? Finally, this from an April 30th news article in the Chicago Tribune:

In his 14 years as archbishop, the 74-year-old George has remained committed to a conservative interpretation of church teachings, views that have clashed with many priests and parishioners.

His confrontation with Pfleger, a South Side priest beloved by his African-American congregation at St. Sabina, has come down to what the cardinal views as his sacred duty: to enforce Roman Catholic policies, including priests' adherence to their promise of obedience.

That's some solid legwork in action, ain't it? Who would have thought, even upon reflection and time spent Googling, that an Archbishop and Cardinal of the Catholic Church would be focused on upholding the teachings, practices, and disciplines of the Catholic Church? It makes my star-struck head spin like a star-embossed top. Even more strange is this quote:

 The letter clearly outlines the duties of a priest, said the Rev. James Halstead, chair of religious studies at DePaul University.

"Isn't that wonderful?" Halstead said. "So you see this is about promises, and canon law and what that means in the church."

Uh, yeah, it is kinda wonderful—if you're into truth and integrity and all that other silly stuff. Fr. Halstead, you might recall, is the same priest who proudly said, in a recent interview: "At DePaul, if you want a Catholicism that's rigid and rule-bound, we got it. We got the Catholicism for the Catholics who just want spiritual practice but wouldn't know a rule if it hit them in the face. We got the kind of Catholicism for the types of intellectual Catholics who know about the rules of the church, but they don't care about them."

Hey, I wonder if he was inspired by Fr. Pfleger when he spoke about "Catholic who know about the rules of the church, but they don't care about them"? If so, would it be out of line to say somethin about "stars aligning"?

• Cardinal Francis George chastises, suspends Fr. Michael Pfleger ... (April 27, 2011)
• "Pfire Pfleger" (April 14, 2010)

Comments

[Joe]

Thank you Cardinal George... I now promise to buy all your books.

[Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP]

Where in the Bible are we instructed to end suffering? Curious. . .

[Jack Frost]

Cardinal George finally did what he should have done long ago. And he didn't go far enough. Pfleger needs to be formally excommunicated. So much tolerance for heretics, so little tolerance for traditionalists. It boggles the mind.

[Achilles]

Msgr. Ronald Knox wrote "we are here to colonize heaven, not to make things better on earth."
We can only colonize heaven armed with Truth. Fr. Plfeger demonstrates the antithesis of Msgr. Knox's statement.

[Pamela Tegel]

How can any Catholic Priest say that he will leave the Catholic Church and form his own Church? If he feels he can leave the Catholic Church, he should not be a Priest and as far as I am concerned is no longer a Priest unless he repents. Yet Fr. Pfleger has said on two separate occasions, years apart, that if he did not get what he wanted he would form his own church. I have heard many people say he has done a lot for the community and I have no doubt that he has, but I don't think he has done much for the Catholic Church. I am happy to see that Cardinal George is reining in Fr. Pfleger it is past time.
Now will someone start reining in the "Catholic" Universities.

[Cbalducc]

I'm afraid the Catholic Church's efforts to evangelize African Americans has been disapppointing. Since the somberness and formality of the traditional liturgy didn't work that well, we've tried the boisterous, declamatory style that has been the standard in black Protestant churches for many years. Fr. Pfleger was given way more leeway than a regular priest to experiment. The result is that over the years, the Archdiocese of Chicago has allowed St. Sabina's to become a Protestant church in all but name.

[Manuel G. Daugherty Razetto]

We are witnessing the result of a prevailing permissive attitude by bishops that not only stain themselves with deploring apostolic behavior; they fail to follow constant reminders by Benedict XVI on how to re-new the Traditional teachings of our Church.

Cardinal George castigates Fr. Pfleger at the eleventh hour but anyhow the reprobate is finally fired and let us hope that parish will change for the better.

[LJ]

How can any Catholic Priest say that he will leave the Catholic Church and form his own Church?

Ask Martin Luther.

[Manuel G. Daugherty Razetto]

Witty thought comparing Pfleger to Martin Luther but the latter is still in the minds of followers after half a millenium while the former will be forgotten...mmmm... the day after tomorrow? I hope so.