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Article Category: 2006 November

Priest admits fondling young Foley:[1 FIRST Edition]

Description:

Article originally prepared on : 14 November 2006

Priest admits fondling young Foley:[1 FIRST Edition]

Herald Sun. Melbourne, Vic.:Oct 21, 2006. p. 26

MIAMI -- A Roman Catholic priest has admitted having an intimate relationship

with Mark Foley when the now disgraced Republican politician was about 12 years

old.

The fondling confession came amid an explosive scandal over revelations that,

while he represented Florida in Washington, Mr Foley had sent sexually

suggestive messages to teenage congressional aides.

After Mr Foley resigned last month, his lawyer said the prominent Republican

was a gay alcoholic and had been molested as a boy by a priest.

Catholic priest Anthony Mercieca, 72, admitted to a newspaper and a television

station that he had a series of encounters with Mr Foley that might be

perceived as inappropriate, but denied he had raped the boy about four decades

ago.

"I was down, I was taking pills, tranquillisers . . . then once maybe I touched

him or so. But it's not something you call rape or penetration or anything like

that, it was fondling," Mr Mercieca said.

Mr Mercieca said he had taught Foley "some wrong things".

He said he had massaged Mr Foley while the boy was naked, skinny- dipped with

him at a secluded lake and was naked in the same room on overnight trips, the

paper reported.

Mr Mercieca said he and Mr Foley had become friends and "loved each other like

brothers".

Mr Foley would have been 12 or 13 at the time.

The priest said he didn't understand why Mr Foley had decided to come forward

after almost 40 years.

"Why does he want to destroy me in my old age?" Mr Mercieca said. "I would say

that if I offended him, I am sorry. But remember the good times we had together

and how we enjoyed each other's company, and let bygones be bygones.

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