Key facts
- Gerard Joseph Howell, a Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing children in the deaf community, died at age 87.
- Howell was found dead on September 8 in his Texas apartment after an apparent fall.
- The New Orleans archdiocese was aware of Howell's alleged abuse for at least 40 years.
- The archdiocese continued to provide Howell with financial benefits until 2020.
- Survivors expressed relief at Howell's death, stating he could no longer harm children.
- Howell was named in nine claims of sexually abusive or grooming behavior filed as part of the archdiocese's bankruptcy.
Gerard Joseph Howell, a New Orleans Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing children within the local deaf community, has died at the age of 87. Police discovered Howell's body on September 8 at his Texas apartment following a welfare check, with the death appearing to be the result of an accidental fall. The Austin Police Department stated that the medical examiner's office is determining the official cause of death but that it is not being investigated as a homicide.
For at least four decades, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans was aware of Howell's alleged serial child molestation. Despite reporting him to law enforcement in 1980 and his public exposure by WWL Louisiana in 1992, the archdiocese continued to support him, providing him with retirement benefits until at least 2020. A spokesperson for the archdiocese confirmed they learned of Howell's death later that week and quietly updated a webpage listing clergy removed from ministry to mark him as deceased.
Kathleen Austin, one of Howell's survivors, expressed relief at his death, stating that he would no longer be able to harm other children. Howell's case garnered public attention for decades due to his continued avoidance of punishment for abuse inflicted while ministering to individuals with hearing impairments.
Records indicate that the then-archbishop Philip Hannan reported Howell to District Attorney Harry Connick Sr. in 1980, but no charges were filed. Later, in 1992, Archbishop Francis Schulte was reportedly ordered by Vatican officials to allow Howell to continue as a priest with full financial benefits, even after the WWL report. In 2010, Howell was sent for mental health treatment, where a psychologist diagnosed him as high risk and noted the church was aware of at least 24 child victims.
The archdiocese continued to cover Howell's living expenses, insurance, and a $650 monthly stipend until a federal judge halted these benefits in 2020, following the archdiocese's bankruptcy filing amid the Catholic clergy sexual abuse scandal. Even after the bankruptcy settlement, the archdiocese stated that Howell's retirement benefits were not restarted. A 2020 letter from Archbishop Gregory Aymond to a Vatican official described the bankruptcy court's cancellation of benefits for clergy abusers as "unjust and painful."
Howell was named as the offender in nine claims of sexually abusive or grooming behavior filed as part of the archdiocese's bankruptcy. His abuse was also a focus of the documentary film 'God As My Witness.' Austin recounted an instance where Archbishop Hannan advised her to "kick him in the balls" when she confronted Howell about the abuse, a response she found inappropriate given the church's responsibility to handle such matters.