Convicted Priest Denied Parole, SNAP Applauds Decision
A Catholic priest in Kentucky who was convicted of child sexual abuse in 2016 was denied parole yesterday. We applaud this decision and are grateful that the parole board chose to put the protection of children first.
Michael Norris, the survivor of Fr. Joseph Hemmerle’s abuse whose testimony helped ensure the cleric’s conviction said today that “I’m glad to hear the parole board has decided to defer his parole for another 2 years. Fr. Hemmerle needs to remain in a place where he can no longer hurt children.”
Fr. Hemmerle was up for parole after serving fewer than four years of his seven year sentence. The parole board’s decision to deny his early release shows that it took the original sentencing recommendations seriously and are not willing to subject more children to a potentially dangerous man. Fr. Hemmerle has never shown any remorse for his crimes and we believe that makes him an active threat to children.
“The world is a safer place with him in prison,” said Michael, who testified again at the parole board hearing. “This has been about protecting children from the beginning, and I can now rest easy knowing I have done all I can do. “
We applaud Michael Norris for his tireless efforts to prevent future cases of child sexual abuse. Survivors like Michael who have used their own stories and pain in order to get dangerous abusers off the streets have done a tremendous service to their communities and are owed a great debt of thanks. We hope this story will encourage others who were abused to come forward, make a report to law enforcement, and start healing.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director