The Miami Archbishop’s decision to withdraw Fr Anthony Mercieca’s faculties, which means that he may not say Mass or administer the sacraments, is being followed, sources close to the Gozo Curia have said.

The 72yr old priest, accused by US Congressman Mark Foley of molesting him as an altar boy in the 1960s, is still under siege by the international press at his home here in Victoria.

Fr Mercieca has denied having sex with the boy. Acquaintances and neighbours of the priest have defended him saying Fr Mercieca, whom they hold in high esteem, was a different Fr Mercieca from the man that was being portrayed by the international media.

Meanwhile, a response team within the Maltese Ecclesiastical Province that deals with cases of sexual abuse in pastoral activity has started investigating the case.

A spokesman for the Maltese Archdiocese yesterday confirmed that a preliminary meeting had been held on Saturday, during which the response team, which includes Judge Victor Caruana Colombo and Canon Law Expert Mgr Joseph Bajada, discussed how they would go about their investigation.

Asked how much time the process was likely to take, the spokesman said this was difficult to determine and stated that the process was of course confidential at this time.

The response team, the spokesman said, would be cooperating closely with the Archdiocese of Miami where the alleged abuse took place and where Fr Mercieca is incardinated, especially because Fr Mercieca spent most of his pastoral life in America.

The Miami Archdiocese last week called on any possible victims of inappropriate behaviour or abuse by the Gozitan priest to come forward or contact a law enforcement agency. While the Archdiocese could not be reached yesterday, no fresh allegations about Fr Mercieca have surfaced in the American media so far.

Fr Mercieca has been quoted by the media as admitting to having been in close contact with Mr Foley and of having taught him “some wrong things” related to sex and even to having given him a back massage in a sauna. He has strongly denied any sexual assault or penetration.

Mr Foley, a 52yr old Republican, resigned from Congress last month after his suggestive emails to young male assistants surfaced. While he is now following an alcohol rehabilitation programme, this case is likely to undermine the Republican Party’s chances of winning the upcoming Congress elections.