Pfleger's suspension: a "slap in the face" to African Americans?

That’s the contention of the African American priest who is filling in for Pfleger at his Chicago parish.

Details:

The priest sent to take over for the now-suspended Fr. Michael Pfleger said he didn’t feel comfortable following the cardinal’s orders but did so because he took a vow of obedience.

During a Saturday evening homily that had him hitting the podium and his chest several times, Fr. Andrew Smith spoke to those he felt were “frowning” at him for moving from St. Ailbe to St. Sabina’s.

“This ain’t about me,” he told the parishioners, many of whom don’t understand Francis Cardinal George’s decision to suspend Pfleger.  “They tried to slip and trip me in this nonsense.”

Smith said he respected Pfleger, learned from him and felt the suspension was a “slap in the face for the African-American community.”

The controversial Fr. Pfleger, meantime, isn’t going down without a fight:

Sources close to Pfleger told NBC Chicago on Friday that the controversial south side pastor has hired two canon lawyers who believe he has a case.

Pfleger was notified of the suspension Wednesday in a letter he received from Francis Cardinal George. Pfleger believes the cardinal acted on intentions, rather than his actions, sources said.

While the cardinal has authority to transfer a pastor, the church laws on suspending a pastor and prohibiting him from performing the sacraments is quite stringent.