The Mercure verdict

Gary Mercure, a former Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Albany, was convicted today of raping two altar boys in the late 1980s. The trial was held in Massachusetts, where Mercure had taken the boys on trips. There is evidence that he committed many more rapes in the state of New York, where he was protected by the statute of limitations.

I related some personal history with Mercure and a couple of his fellow offenders more than two years ago, and have since recalled another detail, how my son was once up on the altar with him during Mass with other children in the early-to-mid 1990s (before Mercure suddenly left the parish without explanation), in some kind of dress-up event. My son was wearing a coat of many colors like Joseph from the Old Testament, which caused Mercure a moment of good-natured confusion with the New Testament Joseph. It is chilling to consider how close to danger was my son, and infuriating that some Catholic priests continue to minimize and deny the disastrous nature of this scandal, thereby continuing the damage.

That old blog item was somewhat critical of Albany Bishop Howard Hubbard, so it is only fair to note that the bishop and the church have learned something. Warren County DA Kate Hogan, who tipped off authorities in Massachusetts about Mercure, testified at his trial about how she herself had been tipped off by the Diocese of Albany. The diocese issued a statement today noting how it now has a policy of advising law enforcement about complaints of sexual abuse. It conducted its own investigation in 2008, and as a result permanently barred Mercure from ministry. Today's statement said "Gary Mercure’s attacks on children were sinful, criminal and reprehensible." I don't know if Mercure believes in the existence of sin anymore. I do.

Comments

[Matthew]

Personally, it speaks volumes that the Roman Catholic Church is more interested in denying same sex marriages in the civil, secular code than protecting their own flock from criminals w/n their own ranks.

[Brian]

I second Matt’s comment.

One issue is that bugs me is that critics of the Church’s long-time protection of these child abusers are often attacked in a knee-jerk fashion as anti-Catholic. These people need to realize that such sheltering undermines the credibility of both the Church and the honorable priests.

On a different note, the coverage of the trial is interesting. The Times-Union led with a big headline that Mercure smiled broadly after his sentencing (at least this what was on their website initially when the story broke). My blood boiled at his reaction, as I think anyone’s would have. Then I read the story in the Post-Star (which is using Berkshire Eagle coverage) and it did mention Mercure smiling but said he was smiling at his sister who was sobbing uncontrollably. This puts the act in a completely different context. I have no sympathy for Mercure and am glad he got what he deserved. But the TU thing was a giant cheap shot, if you ask me.

[James]

The Albany diocese is hardly to be congratulated for just beginning to do what it should have done all along. If the diocese is genuinely concerned for victims, and not just making insincere public relations statements, why does it use legal maneuvering to avoid responsibility for its own diocesan priests? Googling "McNeirny Community Service" brings up news reports of a current lawsuit where the diocese claimed since the priest didn't receive W-2s directly from the diocese it shouldn't be held liable for his actions. The judge in the case noted the addresses of the Albany diocese and the corporation the priest received W-2s from were exactly the same! Is that underhanded or what?!?!

[Bob Conner]

Brian, the TU reporter may have misinterpreted the smile, which would make it a mistake rather than a malicious cheap shot.

[Brian]

Perhaps. But one would hope that a reporter covering a very sensitive trial like this would be a little more careful before writing a piece with such a sensationalist, provocative headline.

[Bob Conner]

He/she didn't write the headline. An editor did -- and mistakes often get compounded that way.

[Brian]

Correct, but there was an equal lack of context in the original article.

[Bob Conner]

My assumption is the reporter missed the context, i.e. did not realize Mercure was smiling at his sister (if that is in fact what he was doing). Such errors are more or less inevitable in the news biz.

[Bob Conner]

From today's TU:
"Mercure, who wore leg irons at his sentencing, said nothing during his sentencing. As he did after his conviction, Mercure smiled broadly as court officers led him away."

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Decades-behind-bars-for-rapist-priest-1016033.php#ixzz1EAWJHeYy