NYT/Reuters: Priest in Foley Abuse Claims Hits Back at Accusers

[DeepModem Mom]

Priest in Foley Abuse Claims Hits Back at Accusers
By REUTERS
Published: October 27, 2006

VALLETTA (Reuters) - The Catholic priest accused by former congressman Mark Foley of molesting him as a boy said on Friday the allegations did not constitute a basis for him to be prosecuted.

Anthony Mercieca, who is retired and lives on the Maltese island of Gozo, has admitted in U.S. media interviews that he had encounters with Foley that could be perceived as sexually inappropriate but denied having sex with him.

In a statement issued by his lawyer, Mercieca, 72, said an accusation of molestation by a second man was "at best a figment of the imagination and at worst as a malicious fabrication.''

"In the wake of the onslaught of accusations leveled against him, Reverend Father Anthony Mercieca believes that nothing that had happened between him and Mark Foley some 40 years ago could provide solid grounds for legal action against him,'' lawyer Alfred Grech said....

***

Mercieca admitted in interviews to swimming naked, being unclothed in the same room as Foley and massaging him in the nude....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-crime-foley-priest.html

[NashVegas]

1. IOW, It Was Just a Blowjob?

Or is that just my impression?

[CoffeeCat]

2. Why do we listen to anything that pedophiles...

...have to say?

They are deluded by their own complex, distorted thinking. Very typical of the pedophile predator.

They don't believe that they are hurting children. They think it's helpful and wonderful when they molest
kids. They think they are doing them a favor.

This pedophiles initial remarks were more outrageous than his current blathering. He downplayed the repeated fondling
of Foley and all of the other sexual stuff, and said Foley "should let bygones be bygones."

It's all about what the pedophile wants and believes---always. Their denial and convoluted thought processes trump
EVERYTHING---even the innocence of a child and even the long-term damage that they inflict.

What a complete thug.

[EFerrari]

3. So, you believe FOLEY?

I believe this guy was paid to do a job and the job went into unagreed upon overtime. And by now, the Vatican is asking him what the F he thought he was doing, taking money from the GOP.

[CoffeeCat]

5. Hi Sfexpat!

I'm not sure what you are saying in your post, but I'm willing to listen. Do you think the priest was paid?

I absolutely believe Foley. His current actions (serial pedophile behaviors) are congruent with
someone who has been sexually traumatized and hasn't dealt with the pain.

I'm not excusing Foley's behavior. He's a pedophile. He needs to be held accountable. This priests
admission that he molested Foley only solidifies the notion that Foley is a full-blown victimizer. He's
doing it to others, because it was done to him. He's repeating the cycle.

Foley can no longer come out and deny that he's a molester. If he tried to avoid responsibility--by saying
that he was a victim--did made a mistake. By revealing his past, he also revealed that he was part of a
generational chain of abuse, and that he became an abuser.

[EFerrari]

9. I do think the priest was paid. And I guess that doesn't

rule out pedophilia on his part. It's just all too convenient. The "abused turned abuser" narrative is played out too patly.

Foley may well have been abused but I seriously doubt this particular man was the perp.

:shrug:

[shrike]

7. Actually, I agree

This whole thing is just too convenient. Takes the heat off Foley, makes him look like a victim. And also, frankly, the part about going into the sauna nude -- how many athletes have been naked with their coaches. Who were in turn naked. Although the alleged fondling is another matter. . .

Someone else made a point the other day: Foley is not technically a pedophile. Pedophiles prefer pubescent children -- those who prey on adolescents are another type entirely. Which does not excuse the behavior one whit.

[Kingofalldems]

4. What about the people who went to confession to this guy?

What they must be thinking now.

[merci_me]

6. Every time I read about pedo priests

I think about the hundreds of couples who have to see his face in photos of their wedding photos.

But even worse, imagine learning that a pedophile priest baptized your child, gave them their first Holy Communion and it would make me even more angry, if one of them gave the Last Sacraments to my dying parent.

[aquart]

8. "A basis to be prosecuted"???

This boy's a piece of work.