The Cardinal might have bitten off more than he can chew.

Last week, the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Joseph Cardinal Bernadin approved the closing down of three dozen schools, parishes, and missions in the archdiocese because of mounting financial problems. One of those closed was Quigley South Preparatory Seminary, which has kept the archdiocese deeply rooted in the south side of Chicago for many years.

Apparently, Bernadin and other top-level archdiocese officials figured this move would slide by the south siders without a hitch. They were wrong.

Quigley South students and parents have come out in full force to try to save the priesthood prep school from getting the axe and they won’t have it any other way.

All this while the Cardinal bides his time in a luxurious Gold Coast mansion, which sports an unbelievable 19 chimneys. And you thought the days of priestly excesses ended in the 16th century.

Now, the Quigley South supporters are calling for Bernadin to put his palace on the market. How can you blame them?

If the Cardinal is into leading by example, he is not doing a very good job of it. He might be laying back like a king in his castle while all the noise is going on around him, but when he wakes up, he might just find the archdiocese with no foothold on the south side and more financial problems because of it.