Priest Denies Foley Allegations

Just as would be expected, but I believe him. Why? Because of what he does admit to doing.

A priest acknowledged Thursday that he was naked in saunas and went skinny-dipping with Mark Foley decades ago when the former congressman was a boy in Florida, but denied that the two had sex.

The Rev. Anthony Mercieca, 69, speaking by telephone from his home on the Maltese island of Gozo, made his comments after the Sarasota Herald-Tribune published an interview in which he described several encounters that he said Foley might perceive as sexually inappropriate. Mercieca said the Florida newspaper report was "exaggerated."

"We were friends and trusted each other as brothers and loved each other as brothers," Mercieca told The Associated Press in Rome. Asked if their association was sexual, the priest replied: "It wasn't."

Inasmuch as the priest showed unfortunate judgement, he shouldn't take the blame for "harming" Foley.

Its clear this is complicated and may never be sorted out properly. What a young boy "sees" or "experiences" can differ wildly from reality..
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