STATEMENT OF FRANCIS CARDINAL GEORGE, O.M.I., ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO
By NoQuarter on May 30, 2008 at 1:13 PM in Barack Obama
STATEMENT OF FRANCIS CARDINAL GEORGE, O.M.I., ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO
Friday, May 30, 2008
Statement of Cardinal Francis George concerning remarks of
Fr. Michael Pfleger about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton during
an address at Trinity United Church of Christ on Sunday May 25, 2008
The Catholic Church does not endorse political candidates. Consequently, while a priest must speak to political issues that are also moral, he may not endorse candidates nor engage in partisan campaigning.
Racial issues are both political and moral and are also highly charged. Words can be differently interpreted, but Fr. Pfleger’s remarks about Senator Clinton are both partisan and amount to a personal attack. I regret that deeply.
To avoid months of turmoil in the church, Fr. Pfleger has promised me that he will not enter into campaigning, will not publicly mention any candidate by name and will abide by the discipline common to all Catholic priests.
It is unfortunate that Barack Obama cannot clearly make a such a statement.
Via The Page:
Clinton Campaign Response to Obama’s Comments on Rev. Pfleger
Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson:“Divisive and hateful language like that is totally counterproductive in our efforts to bring our party together and have no place at the pulpit or in our politics. We are disappointed that Senator Obama didn’t specifically reject Father Pflegler’s despicable comments about Senator Clinton, and assume he will do so.”
WHEN, BARACK OBAMA? WHEN?
JOHN McCAIN HAS STOOD TALL FOR HILLARY CLINTON IN A TELEVISED COMMENTARY just aired on Fox News.
WHEN WILL YOU STAND TALL FOR HILLARY CLINTON, you sniveling coward?
What? No sanction??
Still better than BHO….
I just wrote the Pope again.
Just revoke the tax free status.
I want to see a clean up of the religious political power grab. Churches espousing political rhetoric is too much for me.
Enough. No more tax free status. Bush and his “fixed” DOJ has decimated all sense of cred. Obama is more of the same only more in your face!!
I am sick. Things are worse now that the DEMS took over majority in Congress…not better.
UGH
Susan, the last sentence of your post is not part of Cardinal George’s statement. Perhaps quotation marks would be useful? That said, yes, it’s unfortunate that Obama cannot make such a statement. This priest should have his butt kicked. And the TUCC should be branded for the racist church that it is. Now, can someone tell us again why the Obamas need to go to this church?
Pleger is a Catholic Priest. Although I’m tempted to think he’s CINO. There’s something very odd about these Chicagoan men of God.
SusanUnPC: is the last sentence in the post yours or theirs? (yours I presume but please correct me if I ‘m wrong).
This is barely even a slap on the wrist.
Real action will have to come from the Vatican.
Email Pope Benedict:
benedictxvi@vatican.va
I agree !!
Thanks for the email. Hope everyone writes as well.
I agree also, what do you think should be done with this Msgr Lisante that we inherited at Our Lady of Lourdes Massapequa Park New York, We are a group of concerned parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Massapequa Park who would like to make you aware of the developing crisis at our parish in an appeal for your prayers for a speedy and just resolution to this unfortunate situation.
Our Lady of Lourdes is well-known for its conservative reputation. Under our former pastor, the sacraments were widely available, Marian devotion was very strong, and we were accustomed to a firm adherence to Church doctrine in all matters.
Whether you are sympathetic or not to a pastoral agenda like this, we ask you to indulge us for just a moment.
When Msgr. James Lisante was appointed pastor of our parish, he immediately went on the offensive to eradicate traditional customs and expression from our parish life, without regard to the sensibilities or desires of the largely conservative parishioners. Within two weeks, he and his assistant, Fr. Matthew, had removed Our Lady’s statue, the altar crucifixes, the modesty sign and re-arranged our sanctuary to look like a VFW-hall, against all normal standards of aesthetics or taste.
Understandably hurt by these rapid and insensitive changes, several parishioners made inquiries about “Fr. Matthew,” and it was discovered he was a priest without faculties who has been living with Msgr. Lisante at his former parish for the last eight years. This information was given to Bishop Murphy at the request of Fr. Blockley’s bishop, and Fr. Blockley was instantly expelled from the diocese.
There was never a word of apology from Msgr. Lisante about this incredibly irresponsible and derelict action on his part. Instead, he continued to pursue his agenda, his next step being the employment of a music minister, Peter Rapanaro. On Peter Rapanaro’s own website, the stunned parishioners discovered that Rapanaro was the director of a blasphemous theatrical production in 2003 at a Greenwich Village playhouse, “My Big Gay Italian Wedding,” and was involved in a gay musical, “Rainbow Phi,” which enjoyed a successful run at a Fire Island playhouse.
Further investigation into “My Big Gay Italian Wedding” revealed that it was a blasphemous pro-gay marriage screed, and featured vulgar displays of gay camp, jokes about pedophile priests and oral sex. The second-rate production can be accurately described as an attack on the Catholic priesthood, Catholic marriage, and Catholic morality as well as on common decency and respect.
Complaints about Rapanaro’s appointment as Co-Director of Music have yielded the information from Sean Dolan, the diocesan spokesman, that Rapanaro is currently under investigation by the diocese for accusations of a serious nature, which have not been disclosed.
In addition to these shocking and irresponsible decisions, Msgr. Lisante has recently reduced the weekend Mass schedule and the hours of confession by half. In a particularly vindictive move, he is cancelling the retired pastor’s “Children’s Mass,” held for the past thirty-two years in the school chapel on Sunday mornings which many of the more conservative parishioners (and his harshest critics) attend. The pastor has told several parishioners this change was directed by the chancery itself, a fact which has recently been disputed by Sean Dolan, the diocesan spokesman.
It is also well known that Msgr. Lisante is rarely in the parish and resides at the parish rectory only one day out of seven, contrary to Canon Law (Canon 533) which requires a pastor to reside in a rectory near the parish church and which has been a special directive of Bishop Murphy himself.
As may be expected, many letters and phone calls have been directed to Msgr. Lisante, Bishop Murphy and to various Roman congregations about these matters, with extremely brief and limited response, so we are turning to you for your prayers and advice.
We would like to make it very clear that when our new pastor arrived, we were ready to welcome him and looked forward to a renewal and revitalization of our parish. Though we love our former pastor, Fr. Robert Mason, we were aware that there were defects in his management style, as there are with every pastor, and we expected changes and a fresh approach, which we were ready to accept with open minds and hears.
However, what Bishop Murphy sent us instead was a pastor with minimal to none conservative credentials and apparently no sympathy whatsoever for traditional Catholic practice and orthodoxy. If the bishop were indeed determined to bring this “ecclesiastical backwater” into the 21st century, it should have been done with patience, sensitivity and respect, and a wiser and gentler pastor could have accomplished what changes were absolutely necessary with wisdom and compassion, without making adversaries of his people.
iship William Murphy has done nothing about him.
Since he’s away so often, I’d think it would be quite easy to change the locks on all the doors. Individual parishioners or parish families could each “donate” one lock and set of keys.
In the meantime, you could all go in and set up the sanctuary the way it used to be.
Best Wishes and God Bless!
If Cardinal George disciplines Pfleger…He is not going to announce it in this kind of statement…The swiftness of this reaction is indicative of the kind of pressre the Cardinal is under…The Behmouth RCC does not usually move this fast unless it’s big…see what I’m sayin ?
*** KEEP UP THE PRESSURE…. PFLEGER SHOULD BE DEFROCKED ***
And what would you have Pope Benedict do?
The Archdiocese of Chicago has repudiated and reprimanded its miscreant priest, and Cardinal George has apologized to Mrs. Clinton for his cleric’s vile, race-baiting remarks. Further, it’s clear from the cardinal’s statement that he intends to keep the man on a very short leash indeed.
Again, what more would you have them do? Turn Fr. Pfleger over to Torquemada and the Inquisition?
Send him to Africa. They sent African Priests to the US and Europe. I’m sure Pfleger Ice would love the place.
Remove him from his post. Let Pfleger (no Father of mine) join the Trinity Church which appears to be a great fit for him. As a Roman Catholic, I am disgusted by this moronic priest’s behavior. He needs to go, and the Catholic Church needs someone like our former beloved Pope John Paul to show him the door as quickly as possible.
As an RC, I wholeheartedly agree. This guy needs to be shipped off to Catholic Siberia somewhere. I can’t believe he has been at this parish for so long, what’s up with that? Priests in my parish last 5-10 years MAX.
Haha, no, send him to a public speaking class. His fake AA accent is terrible.
Hi — I agree (about his AA accent) — also — if he feels the only way he can communicate with his “people” is to use bad grammar, bad language and jump around, scream and gesture like a backward throwback — that’s what he must think of the people he is talking to.
I am Catholic — and for now — I am NOT going back to church until they do something about that man — the Catholic Church has to get a backbone.
They remove priests all the time from their posts. Why should this be different?
Good grief, what he said was incredibly offensive and inciting of political hatred.
This type of namby-pamby response is precisely why the Church is now facing collapse over the sexual abuse scandals. The response then was similar. No action.
Guess some things never change, eh?
He’s been around for years doing the same type of crap. It’s disgusting.
If I were Catholic, I’d insist he be removed.
My husband, who is Catholic, when he first saw the video tonight, said “Is he Catholic?” Then he said, “They (the church) should DEFROCK him.” And from the posts I’m reading of other Catholics’ responses, my husband is not alone in what he feels about FR. Pfleger. Pope Benedict was just admonishing all clergy to keep out of politics when he was here last. Looks like Fr. Pfleger chose to ignore the Pope.
Pope, he don’t need no stinking pope.
Gee Donald…. The Current Pope was as Cardinal Ratzinger in charge of the organization evolved from the Inquisition and he has no tolerance for Liberation Theology….could happen
I agree here. Cardinal Rotweiller,er ah I mean Cardinal Ratzinger, or rather I mean Pope Benedict in his previous post of Enforcer of the Faith will not tolerate this.
If the church does anything, then it will be after the election. The other issue is now with this statement by Pfleger may open up a tax investigation for IRS violation.
Hmmmm…..Ol’ Bill had good relations with the RCC…he gained major points for Ireland….and Kennedy and Kerry are not very popular with the Vatican….Kidding….I think Pfleger will go on leave pretty soon….imho
Yes!
I live in a small town in MA and called my parish this morning and they gave me a number for a Fr.Canary in Chicago I called and left a message with my phone# but noone has called me back. I will send an e-mail to the Vatican now. Thank you so much for the info.
Thank you for supplying this email address. It saves me the time of looking it up.
Also, the Archbishop has a boss — a Cardinal in the U.S. I don’t know who that is off hand, but I’ll look into it.
I still don’t see an apology from Pfleger or the church to Hillary Clinton. Have they no decency?
In a news conference that was just aired about 30 minutes ago, John McCain called it “disgraceful”. He said that he had a great deal of respect for Senator Clinton, and she didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.
I hope McCain milks it for all it’s worth….
I wondered when he was going to finally quit sparring with Obama over Iraq and get down to business.
He’s got campaigning to do here! LOL*
Obama isn’t worth it. Getting him to be accountable for his statements is like trying to nail jello to the wall.
Just say the truth, John. Just say, “We’ll see where Obama’s foreign policy stands today, knowing it will change by the evening news.”
Good man! Comments like that will assure many votes, should things not go well this weekend.
Well it sure is nice to see the “opposition saying
something about this crap! It is just to bad that
no democraps have the guts.
Oh, I think we’ve got the “no decency” figured out. We’re now just trying to figure out just how low it goes.
Samantha’s “monster” comment was just a hint of what’s going on.
I hope the IRS shows up at the chancery. That should get the good Cardinal moving a bit more forcefully.
This is a disgrace. God help us all.
Agree. IRS or FBI.
This man took TAX DOLLARS in earmarks Obama reserved for him.
I think not.
Pardon my “unlady like” words, but what the f*** is wrong with Obama? This is the second preacher type, supposed man of GOD, that he claims advises him.This alone should tell any one who is not blind and stupid this person has nothing within.
Don’t forget ” Minister ” Farrakhan who is lurking in the background yet very much present in Obama’s circle.
There is something very wierd going on there.
I don’t personally have much of a problem with the NOI but when you see a Protestant and catholic Priest echo the style and content of that religion and shower praise on their leader, you are entitled to draw your own conclusions. Farrakan is obviously a big wheel in that neck of the woods.
this is why Democrats have treid their best to be secularists. Once you start being a verbose christian you offend quiet pious types, agnostics and athiests. We are not a brimstone party. And we don’t need to be either.
Dan,
The weird thing is you! Unless you’re black, the NOI has a major problem with you Dan, but in your non-brimstone way, you just don’t care if they kill you or each other.
You may be a sweet guy, Dan, but don’t be such an idiot.
me weird?
As i said i don’t think that these guys are supposed to be our spiritual standard bearers for the election. They camn beleive what they like though.
i’ve not met any black people I don’t like.
The Nation of Islam has no interest in killing whites. They believe in self defense but they have never had any issues with the Police in fact they are very respectful to whites. I am an African American and I am not making excuses for the NOI and yes they are racist but they are not dangerous. I am not an Obama supportor I am not voting for him nor do I agree with the Racism but they are not violent.
Oh Yeah? Who killed Malcolm?
“supposed man of GOD” I have read a lot worse. And guess who said it? The freaking Pope himself
“…will abide by the discipline common to all Catholic priests.”
Judging by the priest’s history, why are they just now getting this promise from him?
They have been too busy counting the cash they are going to make when they relocate the epicenter of the religion + governement insider pay for play revitalization projects from inner city chicago slums to the national stage via their man in washington.
Someone who lives in Chicago mentioned that Pfleger has been in a long standing fued with Cardinal George….Perhaps the cardinal finally got the exscuse he was looking for….He is probably liningup a replacement…Look for Pfleger to take a sabbatical or a leave….Perhaps to study….chuckle….
Maybe they’ll ship him off to a quiet little island….
They could send him to Africa. Harare, Zimbabwe would be a good home for him.
Kenya.
He can help Obama’s cousin Odinga install Sharia law.
lover’s spat
How about bringing back the Inqusition just for him?
Sorry! Just Kidding!
Pope Benedict XVI when he was Cardinal Ratzinger headed up the organization that used to be the Inquisition….It never disppeared…
The functions are still the same in that it is an office that primarily deals with heretics within the church. Ratzinger took on the priests and theologians who came up with Liberation Theology and after analyzing it smacked that puppy down….Usually the priests are disciplined….Sorry no more racking and oher torture..They just are’nt allowed to publish…
The taint that surrounds Obama and his campaign is palpable.
We can feel it in the air.
This is the legacy of the Great Divider.
NOBAMA 08
Hillary or McCain. No Other Option.
Indeed.
As someone who was once very active in the Catholic Church, I can say that the one thing it might hate more than liberation theology is liberated women.
That’s why I had to laugh when I heard Phleger’s charges of Clinton having a sense of entitlement. Because I’ve never met a group who overall has a larger sense of entitlement than Catholic priests. He struck me as someone who’d be right up there with the worst of them in expecting deference to his exalted worthiness and superior wisdom and judgment.
My apologies to those very caring priests and others I worked with during my time in the Church. There just weren’t enough of them to stay.
Pfleger just want’s to be black. It’s almost comical to see his perform.
I suspect half the congregation are laughing at him.
The priest has no self-respect. If only he would watch himself on a video, he would plainly see how honestly silly he appears to the rest of us. This guy is bizarre, pathetic and nonsensical.
Personally I think he needs an upbraiding by the pope himself. But we can expect these kinds of rantings from the Catholic Church (and other churches for that matter ) with regard to women who dare to step out of their prescribed, societal positions and attempt to demand their full rights as human beings. Hillary has scared the hell INTO the priest and others like him. Good!
True words, i think the good father has a little bit of animosity towards women.
Amen to that! I can say this as a RC woman too. Pfleger is a pig like so many priests are, there are exceptions, of course. But, this pompous ass is not one of them!
I am disappointed in this response. I don’t think it was strong enough. The Catholic Church has been negligent in stopping priest abuse in the past and they need to take a strong stance against one of their own.
Fr Pfleger should be punished because there should be separation between church and state.
Think of all the poor little alterboys who are being ignored as a result of his time intensive shilling for obama in chicago.
That’s right I went there.
FOPMLMFAO
fall over peed myself…
maybe he cruises the AA churches for a little bit of the…
He adopted 3 kids? Are they boys?
Fleger=Vanilla Ice of the pulpit.
What a great comment!
Fr Pfleger Ice.
What did McCain said ?? Please anyone.
I commented about it above. McCain called it “disgraceful” and said that Senator Clinton didn’t deserved that kind of treatment.
Obama’s “church” is not a church. It’s obvious it is a political organization. Their tax-exempt status should be revoked.
As for Pfleger, he should be removed for his outrageous behavior which is unbecoming for ANY christian, nevermind a so-called “priest”.
As for Obama, the superdelegates should now have a clear picture of the longtime advisors Obama has surrounded himself with…hateful Wright (20 years), corrupt fixer Rezco (20 years) bomber terrorist Ayers (20years), freak priest phoney Pfleger (20 years). These chosen advisors are the best indicators of the views that he holds, the judgement he exercises, the choices he makes and how he would make decisions if elected.
Knowing all these facts, should the superdelegates disregard the will of the people and select Obama as the nominee, despite the fact that Clinton won more votes, (the way the Supreme Court selected Bush as President), the Party will get what it deserves which is a complete crack-up. Once the books are complete about how Obama tried to dupe America, the supers that supported him will all be sent packing.
To think, my husband and I left a church because the priest kept asking for money instead of preaching. How naive were we?
Sniveling cowards can only slink … no backbone. All lies.
A few years ago I preculated that a snycretic version of Islam and Christinaity would emerge.
I thought it would happen on the right wing though. Grover Norquist or somebody like that on the right.
Instead the Syncretic faith has landed on the south side of Chicago–and it’s been brewing for years.
This Frankencrislam involves a renegade Catholic church, a TUCC congragation that reachs 10,000 souls and the NOI.
people can believe what they wish, but it doesn’t strike me as good politics to tempt more orthodox faiths with this sort of challenge in the political arena.
speculated…not preculated. Although that could be a neologism.
I have been around Catholic priests all my life. In fact, I was in the Jesuits for six years, and I have never, never heard a priest say the things Fr. Pfleger was saying, and I have heard and seen things that could cause a great deal of scandal.
You have to love this quote:
NRO’s Jim Geraghty: “Words cannot describe the surreality of watching a middle-aged white man in a priest’s collar appearing like he is trying to imitate Jeremiah Wright at his most outrageous.”
It’s like watching the rejects from Last Comic Standing. If it wasn’t so tragic, it would be hilarious.
It is unfortunate that Barack Obama cannot make a such a statement as Hillary did in South Dakota Thursday, too, on a political and moral issue of the utmost urgency pretty much off the consensus reality “radar screen” right now.
May 29 (LPAC)–In response to a question by a LaRouche movement organizer about the global food emergency, Sen. Hillary Clinton said at a rally in Huron, South Dakota today that “we’ve got to help revolutionize food production” around the world, and that “my government will work with other governments to solve the food crisis.”
Senator Clinton appeared in four South Dakota towns {on May 29]. In Sioux Falls and Madison she had two impromptu appearances in cafes, and in Huron and Watertown she spoke in front of large crowds which LaRouche movement organizers has saturated with LPAC “Interim Report” pamphlets.
At the Huron event, LaRouche movement organizer Herman Eilers was seated on the stage behind the candidate, along with six other war veterans. As the rally was winding up, Hillary turned around to have a word with the veterans, and Herman asked her a question about the upcoming FAO meeting in Rome, and the need to double food production. She told him that he had asked a really important question, and asked her staff to turn the microphone back on, and asked him to repeat his question so the audience could hear it.
Eilers said: “I’m a veteran and a farmer. I grew up here in the breadbasket of America being a producer who could help feed the world. But now millions of people are at the brink of starvation. On June 3, the same day as our primary, the FAO conference opens in Rome and we want the agenda to be doubling food production. What would you say to give hope to the starving and to those government representatives who will be at the FAO?”
Hillary answered: “That’s a very good question. We can help feed people, but we have to really help them develop the technology to expand food production in their own countries.” She talked about the devastation in countries throughout Africa and in Haiti and said: “We’ve got to help revolutionize food production. We have got to work with the U.N. FAO and send our people trained in food production through the Peace Corps and other institutions. We have to work government to government. My government will work with other governments to solve the food crisis.”
Hillary then asked Eilers if he had anything else to say and he asked: “As a farmer, we’re putting a lot of acreage into ethanol. I wonder how we’re going to double food production, the way everybody is focused on biofuels for energy self sufficiency.” When Hillary answered by starting to talk about cellulosic research, etc., Eilers interrupted her: “How about going after the speculators?” The crowd clapped and roared their agreement, and Hillary responded: “Absolutely. We’re going to stop the speculators.”
- - - - -
You better believe farmers know about cartels and speculators. You should know that FDR did too.
This is the real war we are in. Obama is just our enemy’s toy.
One more reason why Farmers love Clinton…She takes the time to study up and they know it…If she were the Democratic Nominee I think she could win Texas and bring it back into the fold…She had overwhelming support here and this is a big agricutural state….
I know that to be true. As a S. Texan, there are just so many issues that only Hillary grasped. BOzo is just too naive and clueless to grasp it all.
Good one Gary,
The ability to think on her feet is one of the attributes that brought me around to HRC. I wasn’t a supporter of hers in the beginning, and as she fought harder, I read and listened more. She is more than a soundbite, more than a stump speech. Any one can repeat hope and change like a well-dressed parrot, but real leadership is the ability to think, consult and cajole.
She’s even WONKIER than Bill….and that is sayin a lot…What I like most about her is that she is SUCH A GROWN UP….If she can work with Newt Gingrich to pass important legislation and meet with Sciaf face to face that woman can do anything….I think she has amazing stamina and a very sound ethical core which allows her to put Principles above Personalities and this is vital in an effective politician…I respect Sen. Clinton and she reminds me of some of our parties best…
Absolutely right.
Hillary is one of the absolute best, even better than Bill — and, that says alot!
This is just the beginning of all manner of rantings coming our way. Please let the next one be Michelle condemning all white people. That will be the last nail in the coffin.
Complain a LOT more to the Cardinal, and provide other instances of Pfleger’s hate.
There is a quote of him saying that he would “snuff out” anyone who messed with Obama.
Also, he helped to organize the million man march, and he is anti-semitic, and he clearly follows black liberation theology and that is NOT Catholic.
Don’t you mean the “a small fraction of a million men march”?
If we could get the cardinal to fire Pfleger, then he would be free of the “discipline” (giggle) of the church, then he would probably go off like Wright did.
Has are wonderful DNC had anything to say on the subject for Father Phlegm’s attack on Sen. Clinton?? *crickets*
Time to tear up another DNC solicitation and send it back to them — it’s their 42 cents postage.
In a news conference that was just aired about 30 minutes ago, John McCain called it “disgraceful”. He said that he had a great deal of respect for Senator Clinton, and she didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.
And Obama supporters wonder why many HRC supporters are considering voting for McCain. Why couldn’t Obama have said what McCain said? Would it really kill him to actually defend Hillary like that?
Why would he? we know where the Obama’s stand.. Now that Hill helped support and build his political career, his own wife Michelle said she’s not sure she’d vote for Hillary if she got the nomination.
We know what these people are.. they are elitest and black first.. they have an agenda.. a personal agenda.
The man is obviously unhappy that he was born white. It’s always a little pathetic when you see a white trying to ‘jive’ like a black person, and he makes himself look silly and clownish.
The blacks can have him! There is no dignity in this kind of behaviour and certainly no moderation. I prefer to be in my own church, where we congregants sit, listen and learn, instead of hooping and hollering throughout. Each to his own.
reminds me of Gene Wilder in Silver Streak, satin jacket, boom box
We bad, we bad.
“It’s always a little pathetic when you see a white trying to ‘jive’ like a black person, and he makes himself look silly and clownish.”
You mean like Obama?