Fr. Pfleger Is Victim of Vandalism, Fire

What gives? Twice this week, I write about Father Michael Pfleger?

The Chicago priest, unconventional as he may be, does not deserve this: According to the Chicago Tribune, he was awakened Wednesday morning at 2:15 by a knock on the rectory door at St. Sabina. The police were there, notifying him that someone had started a fire at the front doors of the church’s gymnasium, using a shirt that had been tied to the door handles.

Father Pfleger isn’t surprised. He says that he receives a lot of hate mail, email and hate calls. He’s been a target for gangs, since he’s been outspoken in his opposition to drugs and gang violence. Earlier that night, he’d held a rally to close down a local store which is being used as a gang hangout.

This was not the first apparent threat to Father Pfleger: There have been several reported incidents in recent months, including one in which a bag of feces was tied to his door. Fortunately, this week’s fire caused only cosmetic damage to the church doors, and no one was injured.