Miami Archdiocese: Behavior by Foley Priest Is 'Morally Reprehensible', Sarasota Herald-Tribune [Florida], October 20, 2006

Miami Archdiocese: Behavior by Foley Priest Is 'Morally Reprehensible'

Sarasota Herald-Tribune [Florida]
October 20, 2006

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061020/BREAKING/61020009

The Catholic Archdiocese of Miami announced Friday it had launched an internal investigation into Father Anthony Mercieca, the priest disgraced congressman Mark Foley says abused him as a child.

The announcement came in a written statement that also said the diocese was withdrawing Mercieca's "faculties," and that the investigation "could result in ecclesiastical sanctions against Father Mercieca."

"The Archdiocese of Miami is distressed by the revelations disclosed by Father Mercieca regarding former Representative Mark Foley," the statement said. "Such behavior is morally reprehensible, canonically criminal and inexcusable. The events described are totally contrary to the ministry of a priest."

Father Anthony Mercieca (pictured here) has been identified by the Palm Beach State Attorney’s Office as former Representative Mark Foley’s alleged abuser.

In the statement, Catholic officials apologized to Foley "for the hurt he has experienced."

The Herald-Tribune first reported Thursday that Mercieca was the man Foley had accused of molesting him. Mercieca's identity was confirmed by Palm Beach prosecutors after the Herald-Tribune report.

Foley resigned from Congress after his sexually-tinged e-mails to young male pages became public last month. His attorneys then revealed Foley was an alcoholic, gay and had been molested by an unnamed "clergyman."

Mercieca was a priest in Florida for more than three decades before returning to his native island of Gozo, part of the Republic of Malta near Italy.

The Diocese of Gozo also issued a statement Friday saying it first learned of the allegations against Mercieca through the international press.

"The bishop of Gozo, Mgr. Mario Grech, contacted tonight the Archdiocese of Miami and asked for further information about the case," the statement said. "In light of all this, tomorrow Bishop Grech will instruct the Response Team to investigate these allegations according to the policies established by the Maltese Ecclesiastical Province with regard to cases of sexual abuse in pastoral activity, and present him with a report."