Malta Felix Cini Curia silent on paedophile priest’s appointment in Malta

The Malta Independent
by DAVID LINDSAY
31 January 2010

The Archbishop’s Curia this week chose to remain silent about the nature of the appointment given to a Maltese priest in Malta in the mid-1990s who was convicted of paedophilia in Italy in 2004.

While acknowledging that Fr Felix Cini had served in Malta between 1995 and 1996, and insisting that he had not returned to Malta since the conclusion of Italian court action against him 2004, the Curia refused to answer questions on where he had served in Malta, and in what capacity.
...

An Italian investigation into Fr Cini had begun in late 2002, just six years after he had served in Malta, and after 17 children aged between 10 and 14 years of age reported having received undue attention at the hands of the priest.

Charges were filed in 2003 and Fr Cini eventually submitted a plea bargain in 2004, avoiding a lengthy trial and a possible prison sentence, and instead being landed with a two and a half year sentence in a special community.

The proper Italian legal term used is ‘patteggiamento’ – in other words he accepted the sentence to shorten the trial. Later he said that he was advised to do so, even though he felt he was innocent and that it was a case of mistaken identity.

He claimed that unnamed ‘political pressure’ was brought to bear upon him to make him take this legal way. His claim was met with rather widespread scepticism.

Although a number of Italian media reports claim he had returned to Malta for some time following the sentencing, the Maltese Curia insists that he has not returned to Malta since 2004.

The abuse took place while Fr Cini was in Comunità Siloe in Sasso d’Ombrone in the commune of Cinigiano near Grosseto.

During the investigation, all 17 children, accompanied by their parents, testified to “undue attention” received from the priest. Two computers were also taken from him and police investigators claimed they found a history of porno-paedophile web pages having been accessed.

After being posted to Cercemaggiore, the people of the small community were outraged to find out through the Internet, and through a local paper, about the murky past of the new priest in their parish.

Some of the people were aghast that such a priest had been thrust upon them without them receiving any warning, but others objected to the protest.

They claimed that, in the months he has been in the new parish, he has succeeded in attracting more and more young people to the church. A candlelight protest was held, attended by many people, and 3,000 signed a petition asking the bishop to let him remain there. It was also claimed that, ever since he came to Cercemaggiore, his behaviour had been “impeccable”.

Archbishop of Campobasso-Bojano, Monsignor GianCarlo Bregantini, has announced that the priest is being sent elsewhere, thus closing the issue, at least in his diocese.