November 18, 2005

Group wants alleged abusive priests' names released

ALCOA (TN)
WVLT

Alcoa, Blount County (WVLT) - A Tennessee organization wants Catholic Church leaders to make public the names of priests found to have sexually abused children.

Our Blount County Bureau Chief Stephen McLamb has more on what these people are asking.

Knoxville Diocese officials say they've identified one priest but will not release his name because like the victims, they say, he, too has rights.

Members of the group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or "SNAP," were outside Alcoa's Lady of Fatima Church with a man who says he was abused during the mid and late 1960's by a priest assigned then to the Blount County area.

"There has to be other victims, other people who haven't come forward, haven't reached out for the help they want or need, thinking maybe they're still alone," says Mike Hitch, who says he was allegedly abused by priest.

Posted by kshaw at November 18, 2005 10:11 AM