PHOENIXVILLE (PA)
Phoenixville News
By KARIN WILLIAMS, kwilliams@phoenixvillenews.com 09/30/2005
PHOENIXVILLE - Father John Newns held an open discussion session at St. Ann's Church Thursday for parishioners to express their thoughts and feelings on the recent release of the Grand Jury report on priest sexual abuse.
Because of the emotional nature of the topic, the names of parishioners who participated in the forum are being withheld.
Newns began the session by telling the crowd of about 45 people that he was there to listen.
"The first duty of love is to listen," he said.
Newns opened the floor, and a woman stood to speak.
She said she has been consumed with the events surrounding the release of the report, and has been left feeling physically ill.
"I feel that if I could just sit and cry, I would flood the earth, and all my rage would be gone," she said.