Michael Pfleger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Rev. Dr.
Michael Pfleger
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Pfleger in 2015
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Michael Louis Pfleger
May 22, 1949 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Loyola University Chicago, Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary, University of Saint Mary of the Lake. |
| Occupation | Priest, social activist |
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Michael Louis Pfleger (born May 22, 1949) is an American Catholic priest. He is also a social activist in Chicago. Since 1981, he has been the pastor of St. Sabina Catholic Church. This church is a Black parish in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Education
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Michael Pfleger grew up in Chicago. He is of German American background. He attended Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary South. He also studied at Loyola University and the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. He became a priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago on May 14, 1975.
Leading St. Sabina Church
Since 1981, Father Pfleger has been the leader, or pastor, of Saint Sabina Church. This church is mostly made up of African Americans. It is located in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood. It is very unusual for a pastor to stay at one church for so long. Most pastors move every six to twelve years. When he started at Saint Sabina, he was only 31 years old. This made him the youngest pastor in the Chicago archdiocese at that time. Under his leadership, Saint Sabina has created many helpful programs. These include an Employment Resource Center, a Social Service Center, and a home for elders.
Working for Social Change
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Father Pfleger is well-known for his work as a social activist. He has worked with many important African American leaders. These include Jeremiah Wright, Joseph Lowery, Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte, Cornel West, and Louis Farrakhan.
Fighting Against Harmful Billboards
In the early 1990s, Father Pfleger and his church worked to remove tobacco and alcohol billboards. These signs were in their neighborhood. When the billboard owners did not remove them, he and others took action. They protested against the signs. In September 1997, the Chicago City Council voted to remove these billboards. This was a big win for the community. Father Pfleger called it "a tremendous victory for the children of Chicago."
Protesting Media Content
Father Pfleger has also spoken out against TV and radio shows. He was a strong critic of The Jerry Springer Show. He believed the show promoted violence. He and his church members protested outside the show's studios. They also organized a boycott of the show's advertisers. The show's producers later said they would try to reduce fights on the program.
Later, Father Pfleger protested against radio personality Howard Stern. This was because of Stern's advertising campaign in 2005. Father Pfleger objected to billboards that used an image of the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute. He felt it disrespected Martin Luther King Jr.. The company that owned the billboards eventually removed them due to the protests. Jesse Jackson supported Father Pfleger. He said that communities have the right to resist things they find harmful.
Billboards Against Disrespectful Music
In 2007, Father Pfleger and his church put up twenty billboards across Chicago. These billboards had the words "Stop Listening To Trash." They also listed rappers like Fat Joe, Lil Wayne, Nelly, and Snoop Dogg. Father Pfleger explained that this was to fight against violence and disrespect. He said, "When you disrespect women and you continue to demean a community or race... that's unacceptable."
Supporting Jeremiah Wright
On March 28, 2008, Father Pfleger invited Jeremiah Wright to speak at Saint Sabina. Wright was the former pastor of Barack Obama. Wright had faced criticism for some of his sermons. Father Pfleger defended Wright. He said, "America, unfortunately, has been really cheated of knowing the real Dr. Wright." He believed Dr. Wright was a great scholar and preacher.
Personal Life
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Father Pfleger has adopted and fostered children. In 1981, he adopted an eight-year-old son named Lamar. Lamar later graduated from college and joined the United States Army. In 1992, Father Pfleger adopted another son, Beronti. Beronti attended the University of Central Florida before he passed away in 2012. In 1997, Father Pfleger became the foster father to Jarvis Franklin. Sadly, Jarvis was killed by stray gunfire in 1998.
In Popular Media
In 2009, a documentary film about Father Pfleger was released. It was called Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Pfleger. The film was directed by Bob Hercules.
