Cardinal William Keeler: Patron of Charity in Word and Deed

Cardinal William Henry Keeler, Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore, died on March 23^rd 2017.  In that moment, Cross Catholic Outreach gained a new intercessor in heaven for its work here on earth, for at the beginning of the history of its foundation, it was Cardinal Keeler who envisioned the possibilities of what great work could be accomplished through a Catholic charity such as Cross Catholic Outreach.  He accepted the invitation to become the first official ecclesiastical patron of the organization.  From the beginning of his service in the hierarchy, Cardinal Keeler involved himself in two areas which he believed to be of the highest importance – interfaith religious relationships and promotion of the value of Catholic education.  When named Archbishop of Baltimore in 1989 some of the very first initiatives of his ministry were the promotion of educational and social outreaches in addition to the ongoing pastoral programs.  Under his leadership, housing opportunities for the homeless were expanded, tuition assistance increased for families, accessibility for the physically challenged increased, and assistance for teenage mothers and their children expanded.