Baltimore Catholic school to drop name of former Pa. cardinal accused of inaction

The Associated Press
Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 11:15 a.m. | Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 11:15 a.m.

Associated Press

Cardinal William H. Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore begins the Litergy of Palm Sunday at St. Mary's Seminary at Paca St., home of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who was the first American-born Catholic to be canonized a saint on Saturday, March 30, 1996. Cardinal Keeler sprinkles members of the Archdiocise of Baltimore with holy water in rememberance of Jesus entering Jeresalem at the beginning of holy week. This ceremony is part of the Walk of Hope pilgrimage that gathers hundreds of catholics for a 2-mile journey through downtown Baltimore on Saturday. (AP Photo/Gary Sussman)

BALTIMORE — A new Catholic school in Baltimore will no longer feature the name of a late cardinal accused of failing to act in the case of priests who abused children in Pennsylvania.

Cardinal William H. Keeler had a reputation for transparency as archbishop of Baltimore, releasing in 2002 the names of 57 priests accused of sexual abuse. But a grand jury report released Tuesday details widespread sexual abuse in six of Pennsylvania’s Roman Catholic dioceses. It accuses Keeler of covering up sexual abuse allegations while serving as bishop of Harrisburg. Keeler also allegedly allowed an accused priest to minister in the Baltimore archdiocese.

News reports say a statement from Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori says a school opening in 2020 will drop Keeler’s name in light of “painful revelations.”