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By Sinan Ciddi and Tyler Stapleton
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
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With the death of Pope Francis on Monday morning at the age of 88, the Catholic Church's liberal wing lost an icon. While the pontiff didn't go as far as some liberals had hoped—allowing priests to marry same-sex couples, changing the Church's stance against birth control, and permitting women to join the priesthood, for example—he embraced these stances more than any pope before him.
It's fair to say that the Rev. Michael Pfleger represents the more progressive end of the Catholic spectrum, voicing deep concern for the direction the United States has long defended immigrants and other marginalized people around the world. Pfleger's St. Sabina Parish in Chicago has been a center of Catholic outreach to the Black community—among others—and he himself was quick to bless same-sex marriages in his Church, after Francis allowed for it.
Pfleger's life and work have not been without controversy. He has been suspended from his post more than once for such actions as adopting children and inveighing against Hillary Clinton from his pulpit during the 2008 election. He was also investigated by the Church for allegations of sexual abuse but was ultimately exonerated.
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Below are Pfleger's opinions on Francis as told to Newsweek. The transcript has been edited for clarity.
What Did Pope Francis Mean to the Faith?
I think that he meant a number of things. I think his humility and his compassion for people were two of his strongest qualities—and his courage.
When he came out and spoke about LGBTQ people and told us priests that we could bless gay and lesbian marriages, oh my God! The pushback he got from priests, from Catholics [lay people], from cardinals from bishops. Shortly after he did, that I blessed a couple of members of the church here, and it became a real public thing in Chicago.
It was all covered in the papers and you'd think that I had just burned the crucifix, and I mean imagine the pushback that he got! But the good thing about it was that he didn't let pushback to stop him from [doing] what he believe was right. He had the courage to keep pushing and keep speaking.
What Were Some of His Other Controversial Stances?
He really confronted the whole pro-life movement in the church—and outside of the church— when he called us to realize that all these people talking about being pro-birth, but then once the child is born, they don't give a damn about him. And [Francis] was about life after birth, about to the child having the food, the education they need, the opportunities and the access they need. And I think he did challenge the so-called movement. What you're doing is pro-birth but not pro-life. So, I think he challenged the church to look at itself certainly, he challenged society.
What Made Pope Francis So Important in This Moment, What Will We Miss the Most?
With this [the Trump] administration, what we have going in America right now—and on several fronts—I think the whole treatment of immigration and the LGBTQ and the poor and the calling of people criminals and gang people, [Francis] really confronted all that, and said we are called by our faith to treat people like human beings, and to respect the dignity of every single individual. That you could disagree with somebody, but you had to respect them, and you had to give them dignity, and if you didn't, then don't call yourself a Christian. Stop doing stuff in the name of Jesus when Jesus has nothing to do with it.
I think Francis had a strong enough platform and courageous and prophetic voice to say no that's not Jesus and that's not the scriptures. I think he provided a check and balance for how others are defining Christianity and say no that's not it. This is horrible to lose his voice because I think we need his voice so much right now in this country.
Where Do You Think Pope Francis' Strength Came From?
I think definitely his faith. But I also think we're all made up of the experiences of our lives and that's just who we are. He really came from the streets of Argentina. He identified with the poor, he identified with the disenfranchised all his life. [Martin Luther King Jr.] was really a product of his faith, and I think the same thing is true with Pope Francis. His experiences growing up as a human being and his faith made him, gave him the convictions and the conscience and the moral standards that he had as a pope
Looking Forward to the Conclave and Beyond, Do You Think Francis Will Have a Lasting Impact?
Well, I think the impact he has made in so many people will continue. Now, in terms of going forward in the church, that's a good question. The good news is I think he is appointed a lot of cardinals who will have a voice in the selection. He appointed people who shared his values. But you know, I will see if that legacy continues in the election of a new pope. I mean, I gotta be really honest. I would like to think that that legacy of values that have been instilled [by Francis] and that I've been witness to will continue, but I look at what happened in America? Unfortunately, people can gravitate more toward selfishness, self-centeredness and being mean spirited.
I would hope that when they get in that room and lock themselves in there are enough people who will say that his legacy must be continued, that his view of what the church should be —and what the church can be—should continue.
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