Tuesday,
January 08, 2008
Father Sica's
Playing Mafia Steretypes for Laughs Comes Back to
Bite in Buttocks
The
ANNOTICO Report
It
appears that Rev. Joseph Sica lied to a Grand Jury
about the degree to which he knew an alleged mobster Russell Bufalino,
who died 15 years ago.
In
reality, Louis DeNaples, is the target and real prize
Dauphin County District Attorney Edward Marsico Jr.
seems to be after.
And why is Mr DeNaples a
target? The grand jury was called to determine whether Mr. DeNaples
was truthful in his testimony to the state gambling commission during the licensing process
for his Mount Airy Casino and Resort, where Mr. Barnes is now entertainment
director. As he has for decades, Barnes has denied any ties to
organized crime, and Mr. Marsico has yet to
produce any proof. And he has yet to charge Mr. DeNaples, who has never been charged - let alone
convicted - with any offense related to organized crime, despite
decades of investigation and innuendo.
Its hard to believe that for all the time and money various government
agencies have spent trying to prove Mr. DeNaples is
or was connected to the Mafia, all anyone has come up with is a priest with a
selective memory about how well he knew a mobster whos been dead for 15
years.
Not
Really! Italian
Mobsters get Headlines. Jews, Irish, Columbians, aren't as exciting.
The
Irony is , as the journalist states: Many have
chalked the charge up to prejudice against Italian Americans and Mafia
stereotypes, an argument weakened by the fact that Father Sica has often played the very same stereotypes for big
laughs in public appearances.
You cant simultaneously denounce and embrace a stereotype and be
insulted when someone points out the hypocrisy.
Are you listening Rudy Giuliani ????
This
Sideshow is No Comedy
Chris Kelly
January
6, 2008
The
last time the Rev. Joseph Sica performed for a
national audience, he played himself on the funny but ill-fated sitcom,
Life With Bonnie.
The guest role was a gift from friend and co-star Chris Barnes, a
The show was canceled in 2004 after two seasons, and, since Father Sicas star turn in an episode titled Act
Natural came as the show ran out of steam and viewers, its safe to
say not many outside of family and friends were watching.
The ratings were much higher for Father Sicas
appearance Wednesday before a judge, collared on a perjury charge and hauled to
Once described by federal investigators as one of the most ruthless and
powerful leaders of the Mafia in the United States, Mr. Bufalinos elegant ghost still haunts the back rooms
and dark alleys of the valley he once ruled so ruthlessly.
According to a grand jury presentment released Wednesday, Father Sica testified in August that he had no personal
relationship with Mr. Bufalino, and only met him by chance
in the early 1980s while visiting Catholic patients in a Sayre hospital.
The grand jury, however, turned up letters and photographs that apparently put
the lie to the priests testimony. Father Sica is
innocent until proven guilty, but the prosecutions burden looks lighter
every time you peruse the presentment.
Still, even if Father Sica and Mr. Bufalino were bridge partners, or for that matter, blood
brothers, that doesnt mean the dead mo bster had any relationship whatsoever with Louis DeNaples, the real prize Dauphin County District Attorney
Edward Marsico Jr. seems to be after.
After all, the grand jury was called to determine whether Mr. DeNaples was truthful in his testimony to the state
gambling commission during the licensing process for his Mount Airy Casino and
Resort, where Mr. Barnes is now entertainment director. As he has for decades,
the
Its hard to believe that for all the time and money various government agencies
have spent trying to prove Mr. DeNaples is or was
connected to the Mafia, all anyone has come up with is a priest with a
selective memory about how well he knew a mobster whos been dead for 15
years.
Maybe Mr. Marsico has more. The presentment strongly
suggests that William Big
In a 2001 federal affidavit, unnamed informants claimed Mr. DeNaples
paid Mr. DElia protection money to keep out-of-state Mafia
bosses from moving in on his landfill operation. Mr. DeNaples
has never been charged in relation to the claims.
If Mr. DElia is cooperating, one hopes Mr. Marsico
will require more than his word as evidence, for Mr. DeNaples
sake, and his own. If Father Sica is the only person
charged by this grand jury, Mr. Marsico will quickly
tire of the spotlight. Grandstanding prosecutors who strike out in the big game
have a toug h time getting out of the farm system.
Back to the good father, who has been accused of a very bad thing.
Many of his supporters (and they are many) have dismissed the perjury charge as
unimportant compared to all the good Father Sica has
done in his 26 years as a priest.
Some have said theyd rather see a priest lie than molest a child, a
rationalization so repugnant I cant believe Im typing it.
Still others have chalked the charge up to prejudice against Italian Americans
and Mafia stereotypes, an argument weakened by the fact that Father Sica has often played the very same stereotypes for big
laughs in public appearances.
You cant simultaneously denounce and embrace a stereotype and be insulted
when someone points out the hypocrisy.
However the case against him is resolved, Father Sicas
arrest raises some uncomfortable questions:
& Why does a priest need a handgun? Prosecutors say Father Sica bought one last year. Thats h is right as an
American citizen, but its still odd for a man who took a vow to dedicate
his life to turning the other cheek.
& What was Father Sica
thinking when he threatened one of the state troopers who arrested him? He
later apologized, but again, a threat is an odd thing for a priest to utter.
& Should a priest really be in the business of
blessing casinos? Jesus kicked the moneychangers out of the temple, he didnt take the temple to them.
& If he did lie, why?
& Can it be long before Law & Order
rips this story from the headlines?
The answers to these questions may be revealed as this already weird news year
plods along, but one thing is clear were going
to be seeing a lot more of Father Sica on television
in the near future.
Like the lead character on Life with Bonnie, Father Sica is struggling to juggle his often incompatible private
and professional lives, his loyalty to the priesthood and his oldest, deare st friend, and all with
cameras rolling.
Sometimes, playing yourself isnt
as easy as it looks. When the show is Life with Louie, acting natural
can be downright dangerous.
CHRIS KELLY, the Times-Tribune columnist, is looking for Life with
Bonnie on DVD. E-mail: kellysworld@timesshamrock.com
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19173055&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=422126&rfi=6
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