William H Keeler
- Category : 1931-births
- Type : GE
- Profile : 2/5 - Hermit / Heretic
- Definition : Split - Large
- Incarnation Cross : RAX Consciousness 1
Biography
American cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland, from 1989 to 2007 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 1994. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop and Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Keeler was President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1992 to 1995.
As Archbishop of Baltimore, Keeler was noted for his response to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, choosing to publish the names of 57 priests who had been "credibly accused of child abuse." He led a restoration of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of two cathedrals in the archdiocese and the oldest in the United States, which was completely repaired and restored to near its original appearance by 2006. Keeler was also recognized for forming strong relationships with other religious groups, particularly those of the Jewish and Protestant faiths.
Keeler died on 23 March 2017, aged 86, in Catonsville, Maryland.