Archbishop Advised Abuse Victim to 'Kick Him in the Balls'
Kathleen Austin says Archbishop Philip Hannan told her to confront priest Jerry Howell herself after she reported childhood sexual abuse, as records detail decades of church support for Howell Photo by Bundo Kim on Unsplash

Kathleen Austin says former New Orleans archbishop Philip Hannan told her to 'kick him in the balls' after she reported childhood abuse by priest Jerry Howell, who died in Austin, Texas, on 8 September at the age of 87.

Records show Howell remained a priest after church leaders knew of allegations against him. Howell's case had been scrutinised for decades.

The New Orleans archdiocese reported him to prosecutors in 1980, yet he was not charged, and Austin said Hannan's response left her stunned, even as Howell continued receiving church support.

Jerry Howell Survivor Recalls Archbishop's Advice

Austin described the encounter in the 2025 documentary God As My Witness, which examined clergy abuse cases connected to the New Orleans archdiocese's bankruptcy.

She said she approached Hannan about Howell's abuse and was told to kick the priest the next time she saw him.

'I remember looking at him thinking, 'Really? This is how you handle this?'' Austin said in the film. 'That's not my job. This is your job.'

Howell was ordained in 1964 and worked with people with impaired hearing. The archdiocese disclosed that he was named in nine claims involving sexually abusive or grooming behaviour filed during its bankruptcy proceedings.

Records show Hannan alerted district attorney Harry Connick Sr to Howell in 1980. Connick did not charge him.

After a 1992 television investigation, Archbishop Francis Schulte told Howell to 'quit and get a job', but Howell appealed to Vatican officials, who directed that he remain a priest with full financial benefits.

Jerry Howell Received Support for Decades

The archdiocese sent Howell for treatment in 2010. A psychologist described him as 'high risk' and reported that the church knew of at least 24 child victims.

Despite that assessment, Howell continued to receive retirement support, including living expenses, insurance, and a stipend.

Those payments stopped in 2020 after a federal judge halted them during the archdiocese's bankruptcy case.

A 2020 letter from then archbishop Gregory Aymond described the cancellation of benefits for Howell and other clergy abusers as 'unjust and painful'.

Aymond directed Howell to seek help from Men of Melchizedek, a nonprofit that helps priests barred from ministry. A spokesperson said Howell's retirement benefits were never restored after they were discontinued.

Jerry Howell Dies in Texas Apartment

Austin police said officers conducting a welfare check at 5pm on 8 September found an 87-year-old resident after a reported fall at the senior living community where Howell lived.

Emergency medical personnel provided aid, but the man stopped breathing and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the death was not being investigated as a homicide. The Austin medical examiner's office was still determining the cause of death.

The archdiocese later updated its list of clergy removed from ministry for abuse of a minor to show Howell as deceased.

Austin said Howell's death brought her relief. 'He will no longer be able to harm another innocent child,' she said. 'I can now relax, not worrying about where he is [or] what he's doing.'

The archdiocese's bankruptcy process remains active, with about 740 clergy abuse claimants participating in a settlement.

A court filing questioned how fully the archdiocese was implementing non-financial transparency measures. The archdiocese said it was working 'tirelessly' to carry them out.

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