CHICAGO — Cardinal Francis George asked a Chicago priest on Tuesday to temporarily step down from his post to “reflect on his recent statements” regarding Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and her bid for the White House.
Last week, the Rev. Michael Pfleger mocked Clinton at Sen. Barack Obama’s former church, saying the New York senator felt “entitled” to the Democratic nomination for president.
In a guest sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ, Pfleger pretended he was Clinton crying over “a black man stealing my show.”
Pfleger’s sermon, along with past controversial statements by Trinity’s former longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, led Obama to resign his membership at Trinity. Pfleger apologized for his comments Sunday.
George asked Pfleger to take leave from pastoral duties at St. Sabina Church in order to “reflect on his recent statements and actions in the light of the church’s regulations for all Catholic priests,” according to a statement Tuesday from the Archdiocese of Chicago. Officials have said the Catholic Church does not endorse political candidates.
The leave was effective Tuesday and was scheduled to last about two weeks, said Archdiocese spokeswoman Susan Burritt.
