DAVENPORT (IA)
WQAD
DAVENPORT - They stood outside the Iowa State Capitol with a message for the Catholic Church. Some were carrying pictures of boys who say they were abused by priests. Some were carrying signs saying more abusive priests could be other there.
What the outside gathering sdidn't show was something organizers say is truly historic: after standing outside the Capiol steps, they met with the leaders of Iowa's four Catholic dioceses including Davenport Bishop William Franklin.
"We think that that should be a given: that they would want to talk with survivors, they would want to talk with lay people and find out how we all believe the church is handling the situation," said DeWitt resident Ann Green. Green, who is married to a man who said he was abused by a Catholic priest, is also an organizing member of "Catholics for Spiritual Healing".
The group fears some of the church's past mistakes may be repeated themselves still today.