As the Catholic Church enters a solemn period following the death of Pope Francis, a familiar face to many Texans — Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell — has assumed a central role in managing the Vatican’s affairs.
Farrell, who once served as the Bishop of Dallas, is now acting as the Vatican’s Camerlengo — the official responsible for overseeing the Church’s temporal governance during the sede vacante period between popes.
His role is pivotal as the College of Cardinals prepares for a conclave to elect a new pontiff.
Born on September 2, 1947, in Dublin, Ireland, Kevin Farrell’s journey through the Catholic hierarchy reflects decades of service across three continents.
After completing his primary and secondary education in Ireland, he studied at the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He holds licentiates in philosophy and theology from the University of St. Thomas in Rome.
In 1966, Farrell entered the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ and was ordained a priest in 1978. His early ministry included time as a chaplain for the Regnum Christi movement at the University of Monterrey in Mexico.
By 1983, he had transitioned to parish work in the United States, serving in Bethesda, Maryland.
In 1984, Farrell was formally incardinated into the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., where he steadily rose through the ranks: assistant pastor, director of the Spanish Catholic Center, executive director of Catholic Charitable Organizations, and secretary for financial affairs.
He eventually became pastor of Annunciation Parish while simultaneously serving as vicar general and moderator of the Curia.
On December 28, 2001, Farrell was appointed auxiliary bishop of Washington and consecrated in early 2002. Five years later, in 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Bishop of Dallas.
During his nearly decade-long tenure in North Texas, Farrell became known for his organizational leadership and pastoral outreach in one of America’s fastest-growing dioceses.
In 2016, Pope Francis brought Farrell to the Vatican to head the newly formed Dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life, recognizing his administrative experience and pastoral sensibilities. That same year, Farrell was elevated to the College of Cardinals.
Following Pope Francis’s death on April 21, 2025, Cardinal Farrell assumed his duties as Camerlengo. He certified the pope’s death, secured the Apostolic Palace, and now leads the Vatican’s day-to-day affairs.
He is also preparing for the all-important conclave where cardinals will elect the next pope.
Farrell’s combination of financial oversight, pastoral experience, and curial leadership gives him the steady hand needed to navigate the Church through this uncertain chapter.
Pope Francis, hailed by many as a champion of the poor and the environment, leaves behind a complicated legacy. While praised for his warmth, humility, and global outreach, his pontificate also sowed divisions within the Church.
Francis often steered the Church’s focus toward progressive causes — emphasizing climate change activism (Laudato Si’), immigration activism, and broad social justice initiatives — even as some questioned whether these priorities came at the expense of traditional Catholic teaching.
At the same time, he alarmed many traditional Catholics by restricting the Latin Mass, advocating for pastoral accommodations for divorced and remarried Catholics, and approving blessings for same-sex couples under certain conditions.
Despite these controversies, Francis’s personal appeal endured among Catholics who supported a more “open-door” approach to Church leadership and social engagement.