Leo High: We’d Welcome Pfleger, But Can Survive Without Him

April 13, 2011 12:18 PM

Rev. Michael Pfleger said that Cardinal Francis George has asked him to leave St. Sabina Church to join nearby Leo High School. (Credit: CBS)

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CHICAGO (CBS/WBBM) – The controversy over whether the Rev. Michael Pfleger will leave St. Sabina Church and take over Leo High School has the high school community feeling like it’s between a rock and a hard place.

As WBBM Newsradio 780’s Bernie Tafoya reports, Leo High School, at 7901 S. Sangamon St., is 85 years old and has 154 students. But ever since talk began last month that the Chicago Archdiocese wanted to send Pfleger to the school, Leo president Dan McGrath says the perception has been that Pfleger would be school’s savior.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780′s Bernie Tafoya reports

McGrath says the perception has also been that if Pfleger did not take over, the school could not be saved. This is not true, McGrath says.

“Academically, it’s probably too early to say we’ve turned the corner, but we’ve definitely made a lot of progress, and enrollment-wise, we’ve made a lot of progress,” McGrath said. “Next year’s freshman class is going to be almost double this year’s freshman class.”

McGrath says the school would welcome Pfleger with open arms, should he decide to take a job there. But recent interviews have suggested that Pfleger would sooner leave the Catholic Church.

Over the weekend, Pfleger told the public radio program “Smiley and West” that if it came to a choice to become principal of Leo, to become pastor of another Catholic church, or to leave the Church altogether, he would look at the third option.

But he said he wants to stay in the Catholic Church.

Of Leo, Pfleger said in the “Smiley and West” interview that the school is “literally dying.”

“I’d have no power to do anything but sit there and raise money,” Pfleger said.

Pfleger said he would have been willing to take leadership of Leo High School under St. Sabina, and would like to hire a new principal there. But this was not present as an option.

Francis Cardinal George maintains that term limits – either six , or at the most, 12 years – are set by a council of priests. In the end, the cardinal himself has the final say on where Pfleger will be assigned.

Leo High: Wed Welcome Pfleger, But Can Survive Without Him

Kman

“…if it came to a choice to become principal of Leo, to become pastor of another Catholic church, or to leave the Church altogether, he would look at the third option.”
If Pfleger really said it and meant it as presented in this article, he has already left the church in his heart and mind. Poverty, Chastity, and OBEDIENCE are vows, not options. Worldly acclaim makes celebrities, surrounds them with zealous fans, and that tide drowns out the good that was there at the beginning. Mother Teresa could handle her fame, why can’t this jerk.
alumni man

What business does the archdiocese have with Leo? They washed their hands of Leo years ago. The alumni association supports the entire cost of the school. There is no room for either the cardinal or pfleger at the school.
M

I totally agree, Kman! He left the priesthood long ago in favor of political activism!
My thoughts

he needs to take all them banchezs and go by the old jones town…rename it Pfliger town..hey the kool-aid vats are still out, he can preacher and hoot, jumping up and down like some wild who-bangee…no time for this slob to move on enough of you, why has he not spoken out on the effects of booze which ruined more black families ,oh thats right cause jesse’s son owns one can’t go there…or them child molesting priest..oop’s don’t rock the boat with the pope..but play that race card now that he can retire from the demon church and start his own cult of brain dead goofies….come on now drink the kool-aid before they come for us….
Captain America

send him to afirica…see how his gun control works with them pirates….until he runs into a witch doctor and they put his head on pole and cook him for dinner….
Dan Stecich

As an alumnus of the school and current alumni officer, I was more than willing to Give Father Pfleger the benefit of the regarding this matter and if the position were given to him, I would have given him unqualified support. His recent comments reveal his true colors. The lack of respect for the current school as well as his ignorance of the alumni support of the school has caused me to totally reverse my position. What a truly sad statement from a supposedly great supporter of the community. Leo will thrive because of the great staff that runs that institution. hanks to all of them!