Vincent Mercer
Encyclopedia
Fr. Vincent Mercer, is a Dominican
priest, a convicted paedophile and former headmaster of Newbridge College
, County Kildare
, Ireland
.
District Court to four counts of indecent assault on a 13-year-old boy at the college in 1977.
Circuit Criminal Court.
Evidence in court described how Mercer subjected his victims to a "reign of terror"; he engendered an atmosphere of gross intimidation
as he prowled the College's first-year dormitory looking for prey, first as junior dean and later as headmaster. The court heard that his modus operandi
was to visit the dormitories of vulnerable first and second-year students late at night when the lights were off. He would sit down on his victim’s bed and fondle them under the bedclothes.
Mercer apologised for his actions and said he deeply regretted and was truly sorry for the hurt and pain he had caused his victims. He also apologised to the young men's families and admitted he had "betrayed" the faith
of his own colleagues. Six of the offences with which he was charged occurred while the victims, boarders, were alone - isolated in the dormitory. Two cases occurred when two of the boys were on summer camp from their primary school at Knockadoon in County Cork
. One victim stated he had been told as a boy that his father would lose his job if he told anybody about Mercer's attacks.
The Dominican Order
failed to notify the Irish police
about abuse allegations against Mercer when these came to light in 1995 and sheltered him until his 2003 jail sentence.
The provincial of the Dominican Order, who is President of Newbridge College, Fr Pat Lucey confirmed in 2005 that Mercer is living under very strict supervision and is not permitted to practise as a priest. His movements were controlled and he had no access to children. During the court cases Mercer was based at the Provincialate Dominican headquarters in Tallaght
, Dublin, and then moved to the Black Abbey
Priory in Kilkenny
.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priest, a convicted paedophile and former headmaster of Newbridge College
Newbridge College
Newbridge College is a co-educational fee-paying secondary school in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, run by the Dominican Order. The Dominican Fathers founded Newbridge College in 1852 as a boarding school for boys...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
2003 case
In March 2003, he was sentenced to six months imprisonment after pleading guilty at NaasNaas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
District Court to four counts of indecent assault on a 13-year-old boy at the college in 1977.
2005 case
He was convicted in March 2005 of 13 sample charges of indecently assaulting eight pupils aged 10–13 on various dates between 1970 and 1977. He received a three-year suspended sentence at NaasNaas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
Circuit Criminal Court.
Evidence in court described how Mercer subjected his victims to a "reign of terror"; he engendered an atmosphere of gross intimidation
Intimidation
Intimidation is intentional behavior "which would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities" fear of injury or harm. It's not necessary to prove that the behavior was so violent as to cause terror or that the victim was actually frightened.Criminal threatening is the crime of intentionally or...
as he prowled the College's first-year dormitory looking for prey, first as junior dean and later as headmaster. The court heard that his modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
was to visit the dormitories of vulnerable first and second-year students late at night when the lights were off. He would sit down on his victim’s bed and fondle them under the bedclothes.
Mercer apologised for his actions and said he deeply regretted and was truly sorry for the hurt and pain he had caused his victims. He also apologised to the young men's families and admitted he had "betrayed" the faith
Roman Catholic theology
Roman Catholic theology comprises the "Roman Catholic teachings" of the Catholic Church which bases its conclusions on Scripture and Sacred Tradition, as interpreted by the Magisterium. The Church teaches that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, keeping of the Ten commandments and...
of his own colleagues. Six of the offences with which he was charged occurred while the victims, boarders, were alone - isolated in the dormitory. Two cases occurred when two of the boys were on summer camp from their primary school at Knockadoon in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. One victim stated he had been told as a boy that his father would lose his job if he told anybody about Mercer's attacks.
The Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
failed to notify the Irish police
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
about abuse allegations against Mercer when these came to light in 1995 and sheltered him until his 2003 jail sentence.
The provincial of the Dominican Order, who is President of Newbridge College, Fr Pat Lucey confirmed in 2005 that Mercer is living under very strict supervision and is not permitted to practise as a priest. His movements were controlled and he had no access to children. During the court cases Mercer was based at the Provincialate Dominican headquarters in Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
, Dublin, and then moved to the Black Abbey
Black Abbey
The Black Abbey of Kilkenny, Ireland, is a Catholic priory of the Dominican Order, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Black Abbey was established in 1225 as one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland....
Priory in Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
.
See also
- Catholic sexual abuse scandal in IrelandCatholic sexual abuse scandal in IrelandThe Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland is a major chapter in the worldwide Catholic sexual abuse scandal. Unlike the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in the United States, the scandal in Ireland included cases of high-profile Catholic clerics involved in illicit heterosexual relations as well as...
- Roman Catholic priests accused of sex offenses
- Crimen sollicitationisCrimen sollicitationisCrimen sollicitationis is the title of a 1962 document of the Holy Office codifying procedures to be followed in cases of priests or bishops of the Catholic Church accused of having used the sacrament of Penance to make sexual advances to penitents.It repeated, with additions, the contents of an...