The Rev. Michael Pfleger has been removed from his ministry at St. Sabina Church as the Archdiocese of Chicago investigates a claim of child sexual abuse from more than 30 years ago.
It’s the fifth decades-old accusation against the South Side priest in four years. Pfleger was cleared of the other accusations.
In a letter to parishioners Saturday, Cardinal Blase Cupich said the alleged abuse happened at St. Sabina Church more than 30 years ago. He said Pfleger “strongly denied” the accusation.
In a written statement, Pfleger called the allegation, “an absolute lie.”
Pfleger said he was informed of the accusation Thursday by the vicar of priests and told the accuser is a woman who went to school at St. Sabina and that she said she was sexually abused by Pfleger sometime between 1993 and 1995, when she was a minor.
Pfleger said the accusation is “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.
“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,” Pfleger said.
While delivering the “difficult news” to parishioners, Cupich wrote, “I want to stress that the welfare of the children entrusted to our care is our paramount concern.
“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.”
The Archdiocese of Chicago’s Independent Review Board is investigating and will make a recommendation to Cupich.
The Rev. Thulani Magwaza will continue to serve as pastor of St. Sabina Parish, Cupich said.
Pfleger was first removed from St. Sabina in January 2021 after being accused of sexually abusing a minor more than 40 years earlier. Later that month, the brother of Pfleger’s first accuser came forward with his own accusations.
After a five-month investigation into the claims involving the brothers, an archdiocese review board found “insufficient reason to suspect Father Pfleger is guilty of these allegations.” Pfleger returned to Sunday service in June 2021.
Then, in March 2022, a 59-year-old man came forward to bolster the brothers’ claims, saying Pfleger molested him at St. Sabina when the man was 18.
In October 2022, a man in his late 40s said Pfleger sexually abused him twice in the late 1980s.
Pfleger, 77, has been the pastor at St. Sabina Church since 1981 and has become a leading voice against violence.