Cardinal William Keeler, Former Archbishop, Has Died

Former Baltimore archbishop Cardinal William Henry Keeler has died, Archdiocese of Baltimore officials confirm. He was 86.

Keeler was appointed archbishop in 1989 by Pope John Paul II and became a cardinal in 1994. He participated in the papal conclave that led to the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

Keeler passed early Thursday at St. Martin's Home for the Aged in Catonsville. He will lie in repose from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Baltimore Basilica, with vespers to follow. The next morning, his body will lie in repose at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, where a funeral Mass led by former Baltimore archbishop Edwin O'Brien--Keeler's successor--will be held at 2 p.m. His body will then be taken back to the basilica, where it will be entombed.

"We were very blessed to have Cardinal Keeler as our shepherd as our friend, as our leader," Archbishop of Baltimore William Lori said. "He led the Archdiocese of Baltimore for so many years with great vision, great love and in the process reached out to the whole community and far beyond.

Listen to Archbishop William Lori's News Conference following Cardinal Keeler's Death:

"We will miss his eminence. He was a friend to many and a great leader and shepherd for us all. We're saddened with his passing but we pray that he is with the Lord in joy."

WBAL's John Patti highlights Keeler's key moments:

Keeler was born in San Antonio to Thomas and Margaret Keeler on March 4, 1931. He grew up in Pennsylvania, attended Catholic schools and became an Eagle Scout before attending seminary. He then attended Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he was ordained in 1955.

Keeler would serve in various roles in the Diocese of Harrisburg, where he became bishop in 1983. Six years later, he succeeded the retiring William Donald Borders as the 14th Archbishop of Baltimore. In 1992, he was elected to lead the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In that role, he helped to organize the 1993 World Youth Day.

He also worked to build interfaith bonds, especially with the Jewish faith. He helped arrange Pope John Paul II's meetings with Jewish leaders in Miami and Protestant leaders in South Carolina. He served two separate stints as chair for the Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

Art Abramson, who led the Baltimore Jewish Council for 26 years reflects on Cardinal Keeler:

"The Cardinal just had a really nice way of bringing people together, eliciting cooperation and making progress," Lori said.

Gov. Larry Hogan, himself a Catholic, said in a statement he was "very saddened" to hear of Keeler's passing.

"While Archbishop of the Baltimore diocese for nearly two decades, he spread a message of love, compassion, and selfless service to people of all faiths," Hogan said. "As a man who spent his life praying for others, the First Lady and I will be praying for Cardinal Keeler and all of his loved ones.”

Bishop Denis Madden, urban vicar, reflects on Keeler's life:

He was named a cardinal in 1994, just the third to be chosen from the city's archdiocese. He told The Baltimore Sun upon his return from Rome as the news broke that the selection recognized "our historic diocese and our community, which is a world leader in education, research and ecumenical cooperation."

"In terms of a mission, one thing we ought to be pretty clear on is that the western world is one united by television," Keeler said. "The difficult challenge is to share the message that Jesus is alive in whatever city you live in."

Not long after, he talked to The Sun about the conservative shift in the church since the Vatican II reforms, saying the decisions made in that council sowed "misunderstanding and confusion," and made Mass too informal while leaving unclear the role of the priest.

"The priest's role is one of service," Keeler said. "But it is also sacramental."

In Baltimore, he prioritized the Catholic school system and pursued corporate partnerships to help needy and at-risk youth afford Catholic schools. In 1992, Keeler started the Lenten Appeal (now the Archbishop's Annual Appeal), a giving campaign archdiocese officials say has raised more than $70 million to daye for area Catholic schools and other efforts.

Archbishop William Lori on the passing of Keeler:

He also hosted two future Catholic saints. Pope John Paul II visited Baltimore in 1995 and Mother Teresa visited in 1992 and 1996.

"I think the people and our city will remember him as one who brought a day of peace to this city," Keeler said of Pope John Paul II after his death in 2005.

Keeler also spearheaded the restoration of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. He led a worldwide fundraising campaign for a two-year renovation that wrapped just in time for the cathedral's 200th anniversary.

Keeler may be in part remembered for his testimony in the case of Dontee Stokes, who was charged in the 2002 shooting death Rev. Maurice Blackwell, whom Stokes accused of sexual abuse in 1993. He said he took the allegation against Blackwell "very seriously," and regretted reinstating him. Keeler publicly apologized to Stokes, who was acquitted, and other victims of abuse by priests.

News report: Keeler issues another apology, speaks with Stokes

"We know that there have been painful breaches of trust, and have dedicated ourselves to seeking solace for victims and fair punishment for perpetrators, goals which we have pursued but have not always succeeded in achieving, for many years," Keeler wrote in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece. "I apologize for instances in which our efforts have failed."

In October 2006, Keeler was seriously injured in a car accident in Terni, Italy, in which his friend, Father Bernard Quinn of the Diocese of Harrisburg, was killed. Keeler sustained a broken ankle and would soon be diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition that possibly resulted from trauma suffered in the car accident.

He submitted his letter of resignation upon his 75th birthday per canon law and retired as archbishop in 2007. He remained a cardinal until his death, and continued to live in the Baltimore area.

Keeler is survived by a sister, Julia Keeler of Toronto.

WBAL-TV 11 digital editor Ron Snyder and WBAL NewsRadio 1090 reporter Robert Lang contributed to this report.