Michael Pfleger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Rev.
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 and social activist from Chicago. A social activist is someone who works to bring about political or social change.
Since 1981, he has been the pastor of Saint Sabina Catholic Church. This is a mostly Black parish in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
Father Pfleger is known for his strong opinions and actions to support social causes, especially for the African American community. His outspoken style has sometimes led to disagreements with others.
Contents
Early Life and Education
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Michael Pfleger is a German American who grew up on the South Side of Chicago. He decided to become a priest at a young age.
He went to Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, Loyola University, and the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. He was officially made a priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago on May 14, 1975.
Work at Saint Sabina Church
In 1981, at age 31, Father Pfleger became the pastor of Saint Sabina Church. This made him the youngest pastor in the Chicago archdiocese at the time. He has been the pastor there ever since, which is much longer than usual for a Catholic priest.
Under his leadership, Saint Sabina has become more than just a church. It is a center for the community. He helped start an Employment Resource Center to help people find jobs. He also created a Social Service Center and a home for elderly residents.
In May 2025, he celebrated 50 years of being a priest. The celebration included events to help the community, like a gun turn-in program and giving away free food.
Social Activism
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Father Pfleger is famous for his work as a social activist. He has often worked with well-known African American leaders like Jesse Jackson, Joseph Lowery, and Cornel West.
Fighting Against Harmful Products
In the 1990s, Father Pfleger and his church members worked to remove billboards for alcohol and tobacco from their neighborhood. They believed these ads were harmful, especially to young people.
When the billboard companies did not take the signs down, Pfleger and others climbed ladders and painted over them. He was charged with destroying property but was found not guilty by a jury in 1991. His actions helped lead the Chicago City Council to vote to remove these types of billboards from many parts of Chicago in 1997.
Protesting Media Content
Father Pfleger has also spoken out against TV shows and radio programs that he felt were harmful.
In the 1990s, he led protests against The Jerry Springer Show. He believed the show encouraged violence and disrespect. He said, "[Springer is] glorifying violence every day.... Calling a woman a 'ho' and a '...' is sick." His protests led to a boycott of the companies that advertised on the show.
Later, he protested billboards for radio host Howard Stern. One ad used an image of the Black Power salute to advertise the show. Pfleger felt this was disrespectful to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Because of the protests, the company that owned the billboards took them down.
In 2007, he put up billboards with the message "Stop Listening To Trash." The signs listed the names of several rappers whose music he believed was disrespectful, especially to women.
Fighting for Fairness in Sports
In 2001, Father Pfleger stood up for his parish's school, Saint Sabina. A mostly white Catholic school sports league would not let Saint Sabina's teams join. The league said they were worried about safety in Saint Sabina's neighborhood.
Pfleger said this was an unfair excuse based on racism. He stated, "To be denied admission on the sole premise that certain coaches and parishes feared for the safety of their children is illegitimate, ridiculous, and insulting." The head of the Chicago Archdiocese, Cardinal Francis George, stepped in and pressured the league to let Saint Sabina's school join.
Personal Life
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Father Pfleger has been a father to three sons.
In 1981, he adopted his first son, Lamar, who was eight years old. He did this even though the head of the church at the time, Cardinal John Patrick Cody, told him not to.
In 1992, he adopted another son, Beronti. Sadly, Beronti passed away suddenly in 2012 after dealing with an illness.
In 1997, he became the foster father to Jarvis Franklin. Tragically, Jarvis was killed by a stray bullet in 1998.
In Popular Media
A documentary movie about Father Pfleger's life and work was made in 2009. It is called Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Pfleger.
