THE retired Irish priest at the centre of extradition proceedings in the US over the alleged rape of a 15-year-old boy in Ireland worked for years at an clinic that helps people with drug and alcohol addiction.Fr Francis Markey (81) will be brought before US District Court in South Bend, Indiana, again on Monday.
The hearing will determine if he will continue to be held in jail or given bail with conditions.
He was detained by US marshals on Monday on foot of an extradition warrant in connection with the alleged rape of the teenage boy in 1968.
The alleged victim made the accusations against Fr Markey in June 2006.
The priest, who was ordained in 1952, has been suspended three times. In 1964 he was suspended and sent for treatment in St John of God's in Stillorgan, Dublin. In 1973 there was an accusation of abuse. A garda told the local parish priest that Fr Markey needed treatment and he was suspended.
In 1975 he was suspended and sent for treatment in Britain.
It is understood he came to South Bend in 1990 to work counselling people with addictions.
The chief executive officer of Community Healing Centres, Sally Reimes, said the priest worked at one of their centres in Niles, Michigan, across the state line from Indiana.
He worked there from 2001 until he retired in March this year apparently because of health reasons, she said.
A number of Fr Markey's neighbours near his home on Miller Court, south Bend, described him as a cordial and quiet man.
He lived alone and kept to himself.
He did not talk about his past, they said.
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