Cardinal Kevin Farrell: Acting head of the Vatican for the late pope, after he was defrocked by Pope John Paul II
Farrell was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Washington by Pope John Paul II. He was appointed bishop of Dallas in 2007, after working as a curia and chief vicar general.
On December 24, 1978, he received hisordination as a priest and began his ministry as a graduate student in Mexico. He moved to the U.S. to join the Archdiocese of Washington in 1984, according to his Vatican biography.
After graduating from secondary school in Dublin, Farrell attended the University of Salamanca in Spain before going to the Gregorian University in Rome.
Until a new pope is named, the acting head of the Vatican is the camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell — a Dublin-born naturalized U.S. citizen. He’s in charge of sealing off the late pope’s apartment, destroying his symbolic fisherman ring and preparing the conclave, the process by which a new pope is elected.
The tasks include making a conclave to choose a new pope, destroying the late pope’s symbolic fisherman ring and verification of the pope’s death.
“My administrative assistant, came in and said, ‘The Pope’s on the telephone, and I felt like saying, ‘Yeah, yeah,'” Farrell said at a press conference at the time, according to the local NBC affiliate. “Eventually she did put on the Pope, and he told me that he would like me to go to Rome because Dallas needed a much better Bishop than I am.”
He was appointed president of the Vatican City State Supreme Court and president of the Commission for Confidential Matters in 2020 when he was nominated as camerlengo.
From 2002 to 2006 he worked and lived with Theodore Calvin, a once-powerful Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by Pope Francis after an investigation determined he had sexually abused scores of children and adults.
Also in 2018, Farrell was criticized for allegedly barring a group called Voices of Faith from holding its fourth annual Women’s Day event inside the Vatican.
Some people thought that the would-be speakers, such as former Irish President Mary McAleese, supported same-sex marriage.
“Having been told subsequently that I did sponsor that event and having been told subsequently what the event was about, it was not appropriate for me to continue to sponsor such an event,” he said, according to the French newspaper LaCroix International. I withdrew my sponsorship due to the fact that it couldn’t be inside the Vatican.
Farrell has said publicly that the church cannot bless same-sex unions, but that they should be included in the care and love of the church.
Public Viewing for Pope Francis begins Wednesday ahead of Saturday funeral: A tribute to a dream comerlengo Gioacchino Pecci and Eugenio Pacelli
The Times reports that only two camerlengos have been elected pope before: Gioacchino Pecci, as Pope Leo XIII in 1878, and Eugenio Pacelli, as Pope Pius XII in 1939.
Three months ago a tourist from Guadalajara, Mexico got on a wait list for an audience with Pope Francis. After being diagnosed with leukemia, she prayed to him. She’s made pilgrimage to the Vatican to give thanks.
It was a dream of mine to meet him. But now we have to say goodbye,” Esquivel Telles says, strolling the cobblestones of St. Peter’s Square with a rosary in her hands.
Faithful from around the world are pouring into the Vatican to mourn Francis, who died Monday of a stroke and ‘cardiocirculatory collapse.’ The man was 88. Public viewing of his body will begin Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, after his casket is taken by procession from the Vatican hotel where he lived.
People lit candles, placed flowers, sympathy cards and children’s drawings around a pillar in St. Peter’s Square, sang songs and lit candles before the event.
Source: Public viewing for Pope Francis begins Wednesday ahead of Saturday funeral
Public viewing for Pope Francis begins Wednesday ahead of church funeral. An update on the pope’s legacy from his first visit to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Maria Munoz is from Alicante, Spain and says that he was a very caring father and revolutionary pope. He was trying to change many things in the church.
The pope’s funeral will be celebrated on Saturday at 10 a.m. according to the Vatican.
In a break from tradition, Francis’ last testament stipulates that his burial will not be in St. Peter’s Basilica, but instead in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a smaller church in a bustling immigrant-area of Rome.
After every foreign trip, Francis would visit the basilica to pray before a Byzantine-style painting of the Virgin Mary. He was last there about 10 days ago.
President Trump and the first lady, who is also named Donald, have said they will travel to Rome for the funeral. “We look forward to being there!” Trump made a post on social media. The office of the Ukrainian president said he would attend.
On Tuesday, the Vatican also released the first photos of the pope in a red velvet-lined open casket. In one, he’s flanked by two Swiss Guards in striped uniforms. Pietro Parolin prays with him in another. The pope is dressed in red vestments.
The Vatican Publishing House released a book by Cardinal Scola entitled “Awaiting a New Beginning” in February, with a preface written by Francis. Reflections on Old Age.”
“We must not be afraid of old age, we must not fear embracing becoming old, because life is life, and sugarcoating reality means betraying the truth of things,” the late pope wrote.
Source: Public viewing for Pope Francis begins Wednesday ahead of Saturday funeral
The Vatican and the conclave of popes I: Video of the Vatican’s media office revealing the door to Francis’ apartment sealed with red wax
The Vatican’s media office posted a video to social media that shows the doors of Francis’ apartment being sealed with red wax.
Catholic cardinals from around the world are making their way to the Vatican. Their conclave is expected to be held within 15 to 20 days of the pope’s death.
They have a tendency to vote on who should be the next pope. The Sistine Chapel is where their votes are held.