Auburn Gresham priest takes the Gospel to the streets

Ernest Sanders
Published: March 4, 2012

Fr. Michael Pfleger, co-pastor of St. Sabina Church leads a congregation of men on the streets of the Auburn Gresham community.

Ernest Sanders

In an effort to stop the gun violence across city of Chicago and abroad, Fr. Michael Pfleger, co-pastor of the Faith Community of St. Sabina, led a protest in the Auburn Gresham community with several hundred parishioners of his church. Pfleger's demonstration took place as a part of Sunday's Mass as he referenced the gospel scripture for the day and commissioned the congregation to participate in one of the following manners:

1. He asked the several hundred men of the church to march with him to a recent site of a gun shooting; help to cement a cross in a nearby gang turf (also adjacent from the site of the shooting); and finally walked into a gang infested territory and commissioned the gangs to advocate for peace. Pfleger was also adamant in proclaiming his love for the children of this community and not to fall to anyone or anything that did not solicit peaceful resolutions.

Several hundred men of St. Sabina Church joined Fr. Michael Pfleger for a protest against gun violence.

Ernest Sanders

2. Pfleger asked his female parishioners to lead worship and prayer in the church as the men were marching in the streets. He noted that their intercession of prayer and participation of worship was monumental to this battle in the spirit realm. As the men concluded the march, the women's worship could be heard from afar and offered a warm reception to the men as they returned to the church.

3. Finally, Pfleger commissioned the grammar school age children of the church to participate in a Bible study teaching them about non-violence, conflict resolution, and the need not to be fearful in their neighborhood.

Pfleger noted while these tactics may seem radical to some, he also noted that times like these require a different means to an end. "Our children are dying and the Church needs to help stop the violence!"

Keywords: ABC Channel 7, Auburn Gresham, Fr. Michael Pfleger, St. Sabina Church, WBBM Newsradio, WGN News