TIPTON (IA)
Radio Iowa
by O. Kay Henderson
A Catholic priest from Tipton is starting a support group for people who've been abused by priests. Father David Hitch says a former priest in the Davenport area abused someone in his family years ago. "My brother was abused by James Janssen and so I was very much involved after I found out and I only found out a couple of years ago when he was ready to start talking to me about it," Father Hitch says. "And so I've stood by him and walked with him through his whole journey." A Scott County jury recently found James Janssen guilty of abusing his own nephew. Hitch is one of few priests or nuns who have joined a group called SNAP -- the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "These are hurting people. They're been hurt by us, by church," Hitch says.
Posted by kshaw at June 5, 2005 07:14 AM