Teo, this may answer your question quite clearly: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110805/local/Convicted-priest-was-absolved-in-2003.378874

Do you really think they were paedophiles? I am more inclined to believe that the truth never came out in the open earlier because many of them must have had “a thing” going between them, and they all covered up for each other.

Anthony Mercieca is still performing priestly duties in Rabat, Gozo, despite owning up to having an inappropriate relationship with an adolescent boy (though he himself doesn’t think it appropriate because massage parlours exist, you know).

The ‘Response Team’ is not a substitute for police action but rather a counter to it, and a very effective one at that with a few rare exceptions such as this one.

“Baxxter, there is a fine line between gay and paedophile . . .”

Adrian, not so fine a line if you ask me – it’s completely different.

Yes I know, but in my humble opinion it should be a crime too.

Age difference should be taken into account.

Of course one must, and should, draw the line at 18.

He’ll earn my respect more if he comes down hard on the Curia and its “Response Team”, which should never have been considered a substitute for police action.

@ dery – They are only “ex-” priests because this case was made public. Think of all the others who are still priests, performing priestly duties, because they did not pass through the judicial system. Fr. Mercieca of Gozo, for example, springs to mind.

“Ms Louise Vella

Today, 20:07

On June 10, 2006 I met Archbishop Mercieca at the Curia in Floriana. His PRO had called me a few days previously. He told me that the archbishop wanted to meet me regarding the several letters I had been sending to the press about paedophile priests. We had been hearing of clergy abuse scandals in dioceses abroad and I kept wondering how the Maltese bishops dealt with Maltese abusive priests. The archbishop had a blue file, with my name on it. I guess that the file contained the letters I had sent to newspapers. I believe that the Archbishop was troubled by the letters I was writing and he probably sought to silence me.

During the meeting which lasted well over an hour the case of Godwin Scerri was brought up. I asked the archbishop why he posted Godwin Scerri as a spiritual director to the Girls Secondary School Rabat, when he knew that Godwin Scerri was allegedly implicated in a child sexual abuse case in Canada. I also invited him to tell me how he thinks the girls who spoke in confidence to Godwin Scerri were feeling after they learnt of his involvement in the St Joseph Home case. Archbishop Mercieca told me that Godwin Scerri kept denying any wrong doing. Then I asked him whether he requested a report from the police in Canada. However the archbishop stated that for him the denial of Godwin Scerri was enough”

Ah the lawyers of the future. Nice.