Civil case against Gozitan priest dropped

An American man has dropped his civil case in the US in which he claimed he was molested by Gozitan priest Anthony Mercieca as a boy.

The Archdiocese of Miami is, however, still investigating earlier allegations of sexual molestation against Fr Mercieca involving former Congressman Mark Foley, seven months after this case became public.

Since then, Fr Mercieca's faculties have been removed, barring him from celebrating Mass publicly, administering any sacraments of the Catholic Church and from wearing clerical clothing. A spokesman for the Archdiocese told The Times that the investigation regarding the 72-year old Gozitan priest was still ongoing.

The Archdiocese could not comment on the civil charges instituted by an unidentified man who claimed Fr Mercieca abused him when he was about 12 years old.

However, legal sources confirmed yesterday that the charges had been dropped after a number of irregularities were noted in the prosecution's claims. After the Mark Foley case hit world headlines, the Archdiocese had asked any possible victims of inappropriate behaviour or abuse by the Gozitan priest to come forward or contact a law enforcement agency.

The world media turned its attention on the priest after he confirmed in media, comments that he had had encounters which Mr Foley may have perceived as sexually inappropriate 40 years ago.

The priest is only celebrating Mass in Gozo in private but sources say his legal team is doing its utmost to get him reinstated.