65 Comments - 47th Ward - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:43 pm: I saw that this morning and just cringed. Only an awful and vile person could say such a thing. - Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:49 pm: Awful. Missed that whole “Judge not lest ye be judged” thing in Bible study I guess. And who is he to tell the DuSable Museum people what to do in the first place? - Lovie - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:51 pm: Pfleger is god, don’t ya know? - Bogey Golfer - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:53 pm: Catholic priests are typically reassigned to a different parish every 6 to 12 years (kind of like term limits). Pfleger has refused to moved and has used his clout in the African-American community. It will be interesting to see how Archbishop Supich handles this the next time around. - x ace - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:53 pm: Put me in the Awful and Vile column - Cause think the Priest is Right On Target - Catholite - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:54 pm: This guy is an embarrassment to the Catholic Church. I can’t believe they let him carry on like that. - Emmanuel Can't - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:55 pm: Yep. And those Democrats have really made the South and West sides such vibrant, prosperous and safe communities. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:00 pm: Dear Fr. Pfleger, You’re not helping. - STILL WATERS - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:02 pm: And how many cheeks have to be turned before you say enough is enough? - Anon - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:02 pm: ===Dear Fr. Pfleger, You’re not helping.=== He may not be helping, but I doubt he’s impacting the budget process at all. - Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:03 pm: Well, the rhetoric is a bit strong — but I suspect he means it. It’s a point of view — that’s for sure. One that I know is fairly well shared. - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:03 pm: You went full Pfleger, man. Never go full Pfleger. - Ghost - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:03 pm: The community voted him in to office: without the 20% in votes he would have not been elected. and the Gov has delivered on his promise to help! He has helped cut services, shut down small social service employers and jobs, and is going to war to close schools and reduce education. But he did drive his bank to one bank and make a deposit… - Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:05 pm: In addition to the term limits issue, I think he is getting to mandatory retirement age in the next couple of years. Our founding parish priest hit that age a couple years ago, had to leave, and left. I doubt Father Pfleger will go so quietly. He gives the impression it is more about him than it is about his parish and his parishioners. - Saluki - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:06 pm: He is an unstable person. - huey - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:07 pm: Religious leaders typically represent the principles of their faith. Are public comments like this meant to represent Catholic beliefs? I hope not. - Politix - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:08 pm: The language was inappropriate but I have wondered myself why certain institutions around the state have agreed to give him a platform. His tour two weeks ago on educations finding was purely political. He used thier platforms to bask Madigan and the democrats in school communities. He’s not a speaker I would welcome to my hometown anytime soon. He’s not someone my kids can look up to. He’s not someone communities can look up to. - Tomas - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:08 pm: “Way over the top” I think Pfleger has that printed on his business cards. - Politix - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:08 pm: *bash - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:09 pm: ==Put me in the Awful and Vile column== Done. Congrats. Pfleger is a legend in his own mind, but a joke to most everyone else. - Politix - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:10 pm: *I would NOT welcome him. Sigh…. - titan - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:22 pm: +++- Bogey Golfer - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 12:53 pm: Catholic priests are typically reassigned to a different parish every 6 to 12 years +++ My dad always said it was about 6 years, unless the Buick or Olds sedan gifted from the last parish lasted longer than that. Apparently it was common for a parish to (take up a collection for and) buy the outgoing priest a car. - Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:23 pm: Pretty moderate compared to previous remarks… though still wholly inappropriate. Hey, don’t knock progress. /s - Delimma - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:25 pm: There are some people, that no matter how much you disagree with them, you let them speak. If the President of the United States requested an opportunity to speak at an NRA, I’m fairly certain they would allow it, even if they disagreed with him/her. - Wensicia - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:27 pm: If the Father wants to use over the top comments like this he should first remove his collar. This is not the way of Jesus Christ. - train111 - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:29 pm: I always try to look at Father Pfleger’s comments from the standpoint of the people in the community he serves. Lots of the stuff he says rings true to the people in his parish, but is completely out of line in the suburbs. Too many people outside of his parish couch his statements from the viewpoint of their lives and their community, in which cast they make no sense. This comment is, however, as Rich puts it “way over the top” - Logic not emotion - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:31 pm: Given Fr. Pfleger actions, it is amazing that he is still a priest. That he is, reflects very poorly on the church. - From the 'Dale to HP - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:34 pm: This coming from the guy that has sold out to Rahm… - RNUG - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:36 pm: I also saw it early this morning and cringed. Once I saw the source, In pretty much dismissed it as just more Facebook noise. - Boone's is Back - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:38 pm: ===Apparently, the meek will not inherit St. Sabina’s Parish.==== LOL. - Pawn - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:40 pm: I’m not a fan or apologist for Father Pfleger, but I will say that after a year of watching the wholesale destruction of our human services infrastructure, and knowing how communities of color are disproportionately bearing the burden of this commitment to the Turnaround Around agenda, AND seeing the daily massacre of human lives, it is really really really hard to modulate your words and put a reasonable “spin” on your message. This situation has me so enraged and frequently moved to tears. I understand where he is coming from. This human suffering is real, not a hypothetical, and it is hard not to react from an emotional place. - Fly On the Wall - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:45 pm: Pawn, this crap did not just happen in the last year. Wake-up and realize this problem has been brewing for at least the last decade. The ignorance of facts is amazing - Lester Holt's Mustache - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:54 pm: ==this crap did not just happen in the last year…..The ignorance of facts is amazing== Hey you forgot to point out all the times that Pat Quinn refused to sign a budget until, say, a minimum wage increase was passed! Your irony is showing. - BluegrassBoy - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:58 pm: Too bad they telegraphed their move. It’d be much better to have the governor show up and THEN face angry constituents. This only gives him notice he might need to move his press appearance elsewhere to avoid anything negative on the TV cameras. - Carhartt Representative - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 1:59 pm: I thought his comments about Friends of the Park was more egregious. - Groundhog Day - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:04 pm: I am still scratching my head over why it is ok to destroy human services, higher ed, and many businesses involved, as well as destroying the lives depending on these things; as long as you do it politely and with no language stronger than “Gol Darnit”. Meanwhile, if you call the previous actions a “rape” you have gone completely over the top. - Fly On the Wall - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:05 pm: Pat Quinn never got his budgets through unless Madigan and Cullerton got all the goodies in there. Quinn was never in control of the budget and was ran over by the Legislature like a truck. He could barely get his Cabinet positions approved. - Fly On the Wall - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:07 pm: Groundhog Day, Please tell me when the Legislature passed a legitimate budget. Passing a budget with appropriation authority is not the same as having the money TO PAY THE BILLS. - Newsclown - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:08 pm: Well, every time he visits a Museum, it gets shut down, so, I’d be wary of welcoming Rauner too. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:09 pm: ===it is ok=== Not sure many would agree with that. - Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:09 pm: – Meanwhile, if you call the previous actions a “rape” you have gone completely over the top. – Perhaps check the definition of ‘rape,’ versus other words that could be used such as ‘harmed,’ ‘neglected,’ or ‘damaged.’ - Jackie - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:10 pm: The good Father doesn’t like when TV cameras aren’t on him. - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:17 pm: If a Republican had used the word “raped”, there would be complete outrage from the female community. It’s not an appropriate term and he should know better. - Not It - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:22 pm: For crying out loud…..use it as an opportunity to educate the Governor, not scream at him. - Delbert Grady - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:25 pm: Perhaps it should have been *wordsmithed* better, but his point is spot on. Given that Bruce has spoken about criminal justice reform, which costs all taxpayers billions and billions of dollars, and untold costs in a person life. - DuPage Saint - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:27 pm: The good father should stick to his Parish and run it. I don’t think what DuSable does or who they invite is really his business . Maybe if people with different ideas ever met together they might see another view. But evidently it is Pflagers way or the highway. How Rauner like. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:27 pm: The neighborhood was not exactly in great shape 18 months ago. It would be nice if everyone would acknowledge that whatever we have been doing for the past few decades or more for this community has been a failure and it is time to take a different approach. - downstate commissioner - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:29 pm: Okay, am not from Chicago, and never heard of this guy before-did a quick search and read some information. “Rape” might be a strong word, but it really isn’t much worse than what Trump has said about some things, and he is a presumptive presidential candidate. In theory, I have to agree with his outrage about Rauner’s attendance at this meeting, but as was mentioned above, sometimes it does more good to hear from the opposing side than to reject everything they say… - Springfieldish - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:31 pm: “Pfleger is a legend in his own mind, but a joke to most everyone else.” To people in Peoria, perhaps. But absolutely not to his parish and its surrounding neighborhoods. The lifting of Phleger’s suspension had more to do with his parishioners, surrounding parishes and one or two Alderman strenuously lobbying on his behalf. Cardinal George was grossly in error to suspend him. George was a hold-over from the way-too conservative Church and was not looked upon favorably by Pope Francis, in part because of the Phleger incident. And under Pope Francis, better get used to Father Phleger. Mandatory retirement will come and go leaving the good Father right where he is. - West Side The Best Side - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:32 pm: Neither the meek nor anyone else with be inheriting St. Sabina’s from Fr. Pfleger because he won’t let it go. Unlike every other priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago who reached the end of their term, he refused to leave. Fr. Jack Wall who saved Old St. Pat’s left, Fr. Tony Brankin who kept St. Tommy More going left. Not Fr. Pfleger. He was going to start running things on his own. The meek will just have to wait. - Groundhog Day - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:45 pm: Mirriam-Webster online: rape; a archaic : to seize and take away by force. And for the record, I am a woman. - Nick Danger - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:51 pm: Formerly @1:03 - LOL well put. - Honeybear - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 2:57 pm: Lucky Piere, post hoc, ergo propter hoc - Gone - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 3:02 pm: Cuckoo! Cuckoo! - Pawn - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 3:06 pm: Fly on the Wall — I have been in this business for 25 years. I see up close what is happening and has been happening. What is different over the last 18 months, that was not true before, is that we now have a chief executive elected to serve ALL of the people, willingly and deliberately weaponizing us, our families and loved ones, and our communities, for an ideology that has never once been shown to produce the kind of return on investment that would justify such a destructive act. Yes, I said he weaponized us. He chose us to be the “wedge” — his own words — to use us as the weapon to hurt Democrats and achieve his political agenda. We are not collateral damage — WE ARE THE WEAPON. It is impossible not to be emotional and angry about that, regardless of your politics. - Artifact - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 3:15 pm: Newsclown, you are right. Ruiner visited the Illinois State Museum about a month before he ordered it closed (he was there for the dedication of the Museum building to Alan Dixon). - Honeybear - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 3:16 pm: weaponized…nice…I’m gonna use that one at some point. +1 - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 3:34 pm: ==it really isn’t much worse than what Trump has said about some things, == That’s like saying a pile of cow dung isn’t much worse than a pile of horse dung - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 3:57 pm: @Nick Danger - gracias. Someone had to say it lol. Enjoy the weekend - NoNews - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 4:08 pm: I don’t like or respect Pfleger, so his opinion or statement doesn’t carry a lot of weight. Suspect many others feel the same. - crazybleedingheart - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 4:35 pm: ==If a Republican had used the word “raped”, there would be complete outrage from the female community. == It’s obvious you’re so close to “the female community” you can predict their actions. - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 4:37 pm: Kudos to the many comments on FB that disagree with him. And if this is what he calls Rauner, what would he call running up $140+ Bill in debt and then abandoning the tab for our kids to pay? - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 4:38 pm: Kudos to the many comments on Facebook that disagree with him. - Cleric dcn - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 4:45 pm: My guess is Pope Francis would not say it the same way as Father, but he would be out fighting for the poor. The budget to him would be for the poor first the rest of would have to wait. - Chicago 20 - Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 4:45 pm: It’s a bit harsh but what has Governor Rauner done for Auburn - Gresham? While we are at it what has Governor Rauner done for anyone except for the Super Stars and the business owners who extort tax incentives from the State? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.