19-year-old man shot in Rogers Park

About 10:27 p.m. Saturday, a 19-year-old man was wounded in the back from shots fired from a white car in the 7500 block of N. Ridge Boulevard in the West Rogers Park neighborhood. The victim ran from the scene to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he is in good condition.

St. Sabina unveils memorial to street violence victims

Clutching portraits of their lost children, mothers united by murder sobbed as the Rev. Michael Pfleger called on them to cry out the names of their children who they could no longer hold on Mother's Day.
The suspended Roman Catholic priest prayed at the unveiling of a memorial wall dedicated to those fallen through violence outside St. Sabina Catholic Church between masses on Sunday.
Long-stemmed roses were passed to mothers in the crowd who shared stories and paused to view the 70 displayed photographs of children and young adults who have died in recent years.
"We know that your grace is greater than grief, your power is greater than pain," prayed Pfleger, accompanying a chorus of names: "Justin. " "Lazarus. " "Tyrone!"
Pfleger, disciplined by the Cardinal for comments he made regarding whether he would leave the church if reassigned elsewhere, did not comment on his circumstances.
Some of the approximately 50 people who attended the memorial event said they came to support Pfleger as well, even if they weren't members of the St. Sabina congregation.
"We are very upset," said Maria Ramirez, 44, whose son was murdered in 2006. "Nobody is going to do what he has done with this community. I don't see any Catholic priest who will come out with us and march down the street yelling at gang-bangers...
"Maybe one reason I am not a practicing Catholic is because of these rules," she said, making quote marks with her fingers to emphasize "rules."
COMMENT:
Dpeter19461 at 6:52 PM May 08, 2011
I'm confused.  Weren't these the same people protesting outside the Cardinal's home last week telling him how much Pfleger has done for their neighborhood?
Now we have a memorial service for young people killed by gang activity.  How does all the death and violence in his parish equate to "How much he has done"?
Let's see what Pfleger ranting and raving from the pulpit has produced. Here are the crime statics for his Community, Gresham (6th District-Jan. 1, 2011-April 19, 2011)

HOMICIDE- 14
SHOOTINGS-26
AGGRAVATED BATTERY- 176
ROBBERY- 257
BURGLARY- 393
VEHICLE THEFT- 321
DRUG ARRESTS- 271
SIMPLE BATTERY- 1,914
THEFTS- 812
GUN ARRESTS- 61
SEXUAL ASSAULT-31
CHILD ABUSE- 28

If you can tell a tree by the fruit it produces, then Pfleger is a bad tree producing bad fruit.

Parishioners march at cardinal's home to protest Pfleger's removal

About 100 parishioners of St. Sabina marched in front of Cardinal Francis George's red brick mansion today to protest the removal of their pastor, the Rev. Michael Pfleger.
On Wednesday, the  tension that has simmered for decades between Pfleger and the Archdiocese of Chicago came to a head when George suspended the outspoken priest from St. Sabina, the South Side parish he has led for nearly 30 years
As the news spread, some parishioners were furious at the cardinal's decision.
Wendy Wade, who said she has been at the church for almost 20 years, was in tears as she discussed the possibility of Pfleger leaving.
"He has done too much for this neighborhood. Please, Cardinal George, don't do this to him!" she said. "What has he done wrong but enhance the neighborhood, enhance the community to help people?"

Is that right? Let's see what Pfleger ranting and raving from the pulpit has produced. Here are the crime statics for his Community, Gresham (6th District-Jan. 1, 2011-April 19, 2011)

HOMICIDE- 12
SHOOTINGS-23
AGGRAVATED BATTERY- 163
ROBBERY- 232
BURGLARY- 342
VEHICLE THEFT- 280
DRUG ARRESTS- 196
SIMPLE BATTERY- 1,831
THEFTS- 752
GUN ARRESTS- 53
SEXUAL ASSAULT-29
CHILD ABUSE- 28

If you can tell a tree by the fruit it produces, then Pfleger is a bad tree producing bad fruit.