The Chicago priest who was forced out
of his church after burning a rainbow banner said in his first
interview that he is in hiding from “homosexualists” who have
sent him death threats.
Cardinal Blase Cupich of the
Archdiocese of Chicago removed the Rev. Paul Kalchik from his role as
head of Resurrection Catholic Church just days after the priest
defied Cupich's order not to torch the banner, which featured a cross
superimposed over a rainbow.
Kalchik announced his plan to burn the
flag on September 29 for “the feast of Saint Michael, Gabriel and
Raphael,” saying in the church's September 2 bulletin that
parishioners should concentrate on making “more disciples for the
Lord” and ignore “modern day distractions like global warming,
LGBT 'rights' or even immigration issues.”
Several protests took place outside the
church demanding Kalchik's ouster.
In his interview with Michael Voris of
Church Militant, Kalchik said that the administration had told him
that he would be “forcibly removed.”
“They will have police come and
remove me, and I don't know how that would have played out, because
we already had all these volunteer policemen there to make certain I
wouldn't be tarred and feathered by the rabid homosexualists of the
north side of Chicago, you know, who are threatening me with death
threats,” Kalchik
said.
“So, you're in hiding right now for
your personal safety?” Voris asked.
“Yeah, and that probably is par for
many in the near future,” he responded.
Kalchik said that he burned the banner
because “evil needs to be dealt with.” He added that he was told
not to hold his planned ceremony, but never informed that he could
not burn the flag.