Father Michael Pfleger reinstated after investigation into alleged sex abuse: Cardinal Blase Cupich

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Father Michael Pfleger has been reinstated to ministry at St. Sabina Church following an investigation into alleged sex abuse, according to a letter from Cardinal Blase J. Cupich.

A woman claims Pfleger abused her when she was a child more than 30 years ago.

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The Archdiocese of Chicago's Independent Review Board investigated the allegation alongside the Office of Child Protection and outside investigators, Cupich said.

Cupich's letter to parishioners on Monday said the Review Board -- established in the 1990s to advise on sexual abuse allegations against priests and other church officials -- concluded that there is no reason to believe Pfleger is guilty of the most recent allegation against him.

Pfleger has been reinstated, effective immediately, Cupich said.

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Pfleger has long been a high profile priest in the Catholic Church and a national figure in the fight against gun violence. He has diverse support, especially on the South Side, from his base at St. Sabina on West 78th Street.

The archdiocese said Pfleger "has the freedom to return to ministry without a cloud of suspicion over him."

"There still needs to be a better more humane protocol and procedure when it comes to individual like Father Michael Pfleger, who time after time after time is found innocent.There is something broken there in the archdiocese, and it needs to be fixed," said United Giving Hope Church Rev. Julie Contreras.

The statement contained no information on the alleged victim in this case, nor details about the nature of the allegations against Pfleger.

It was the fifth allegation made against the pastor in recent years. All of them were determined to be unfounded.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.