“WHO TOLD YOU TO PICK UP YOUR MAT AND WALK (ON THE SABBATH)?”

4/28/11

I sent the following reply to the same friend and reader who initiated the conversation on Father Pfleger in response to his question of how some can consider it principled for Mike Pfleger to “not follow the rules of a Church that has supported, educated, and cared for (him) his whole career”:



It’s not necessarily principled, but Pfleger's admirers will make Pfleger sound principled while trying to make George look like a buffoon. That’s perhaps the only thing about which one can be confident regarding this episode.

Pfleger probably should have been forced out in 1993, when his twelve years had expired. On the other hand, had that happened, he would not have been able to do the things he has done for St. Sabina, for the black Church, and for the Church itself in maintaining and strengthening its presence on the black South Side, which was disappearing in the ‘70s and ‘80s. On yet another hand, one could argue that Mike Pfleger wasn’t doing anything for the Church; he was serving the community, maybe Christ, and, of course, Mike Pfleger, but not the Church. As has been said about Mike Pfleger, St. Sabina, and the Masses there, it’s all very Christian but not all that Catholic. It’s a multi-faceted situation, to be sure.

Had the rules been enforced, we would have avoided all this controversy. On the other hand, some wonderful things that have taken place for the people of Englewood, especially spiritually, would never have taken place, either. Perhaps this is a case of God’s intervening and/or, as Jesus so often insisted, of genuine faith’s overriding adherence to the rules so that God might be glorified and His ultimate purposes achieved.