Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Pfleger
Chicago’s documentary filmmaker Bob Hercules has come up with a more dramatic topic- Michael Pfleger who is a Catholic priest and director Hercules has tried to explore the history of the popular priest of Chicago. Pfleger is a popular figure and is widely known for his brave speeches on liberal and civil rights.
Although politics and Catholic principles seldom culminate, Michael Pfleger has the knack to incorporate his political views in his sermons. He does this with great conviction and openness in most of his public speeches and demonstrations. Michael Pfleger also invited the always-in news Rev. Jeremiah Wright to render a speech and when the controversy flared up he gave a spiritual discourse from Wright’s altar.
Despite being surrounded by many controversies and having a tough time with his superiors there is another side of Michael Pfleger that cannot be ignored and that he is a strong social activist and also a reformer. There is a rule that politics cannot be spoken from the pulpit and none other than the priest can give a spiritual discourse.
There is another rule that the Catholic priest will have to adhere to a particular church for a span of six years, which can e renewed only once. And Michael Pfleger has been serving at St. Sabina’s church form 1981, which is the longest period of service rendered by any priest in the US. The sixty-year-old priest is now very keen to continue his services at the church for even longer and he acknowledges this fact by saying there is line up of other priest to take up the offer of serving in St. Sabina.
Father Michael Pfleger has developed an intense attachment towards the parishioners after being associated with the church for such long time it is but natural. Pfleger many of the services include restoring the St. Sabina’s church, rebuilt the St. Michael’s Academy, started an employment center and also built homes for the old. His services towards social reforms are commendable and that keeps me higher in Catholic hierarchy despite his controversial image.
Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Pfleger
It is interesting to note that the old age homes Michael Pfleger built are on the land, which was infested by bars, porn shops and prostitutes. Pfleger led huge campaigns against such immoral practices that made way to a noble cause. Michael Pfleger did not rap musicians, as their work did not show any respect to women and contained too much violence. His Stop Listening to Trash campaign was a huge success. Along with Rev. Jesse Jackson Pfleger made serious protest against gun-stores that would sell weapons to the youth.
It is a well-known fact that Michael Pfleger is great supporter of Barrack Obama and he gone to the extent of considering it would be sinful act if somebody did not vote for Obama. Carol Marin who is the Sun Times columnist who is reporting the Pfleger for many years says that he maintains a distance from the official church and does not seem to gel well with the co-priests. He might be controversial priest much to despise of his superiors but you cannot forget his services towards the society and the remarkable changes he has made in his community.
| Documentary | Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Pfleger |
|---|---|
| Director | Bob Hercules |
| Editor | Melissa Sterne |
| Producers | Bob Hercules, Terrie Pickerill |
| Runtime | 1 Hour |
| Rating | 3/5 |
Posted on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 8:09 am