After the death of Pope Francis, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell assumed the role of acting head of the Catholic Church. Farrell announced the death and will oversee the papal conclave after a period of mourning. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Farrell worked in various roles in the United States before being called to Rome by Francis. He was named bishop of Dallas in 2007 and later prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life in 2016.
Farrell served as camerlengo, responsible for key moments in the transition to a new pope. He oversaw the certification of death and the laying of the body in the coffin, as well as the destruction of symbolic seals of papal power. The camerlengo takes charge of the Vatican’s day-to-day operations during the sede vacante, the period between the death of the pope and the election of a new pope, and helps prepare for the papal conclave.
Farrell worked and lived with Theodore McCarrick, who was defrocked for sexual abuse, but denied knowledge of the abuses. Despite this controversy, he continued to rise through the ranks of the Catholic Church. As the world watches to see who will be elected as the new pope, Farrell’s role as camerlengo will be crucial in guiding the Church through this transitional period.
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