Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-American prelate, has assumed one of the most critical roles in the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis.
As camerlengo, Farrell is now the administrator of the Vatican until a new pope is elected.
The cardinal announced the death of Pope Francis early Monday, stating that the pontiff had “returned to the home of the Father.”
The role of camerlengo, to which Farrell was appointed by Pope Francis in 2019, is activated during the “Apostolica Sedes Vacans,” the period between the death or resignation of a pope and the election of a new one.
Born in 1947 in Dublin, Ireland, Farrell studied at the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He has served in various roles across the world, including as a chaplain at the University of Monterrey in Mexico and at a parish in Bethesda, Maryland.
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Farrell spent over 30 years serving in the United States. He was appointed Bishop of Dallas in 2007. In 2016, Pope Francis named him head of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, a new department focused on the pastoral care of families. He was also elevated to the rank of cardinal that same year.
In 2023, Pope Francis appointed Farrell president of the Supreme Court of Vatican City State and president of the Commission for Confidential Matters.
These appointments positioned him as a senior figure within the Vatican before assuming the duties of camerlengo.
As camerlengo, Farrell will be responsible for certifying the pope’s death, sealing the papal apartments, organizing the mourning period, and preparing for the conclave that will elect the next pontiff.
He will also oversee the ceremonial aspects, including placing the pope’s body into the coffin and leading the procession from the Domus Santa Marta chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Vatican has not yet released the exact date for the funeral, but the procession and burial could begin as early as Wednesday. Historically, the role of camerlengo has twice led to the papacy, with Gioacchino Pecci in 1878 and Eugenio Pacelli in 1939.
Crediblenewsng.com
