The Camerlengo Assumes the Management of the Vatican
Who is Cardinal Kevin Farrell Executing this Mission?
Media of The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
Cardinal Kevin Farrell is the most frequently mentioned Vatican figures in the media following the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Heavenly Father on the morning of Easter Monday. Cardinal Farrell was the first to announce the Pope’s passing away in an official statement.
He is the Vatican’s Camerlengo, currently managing the daily affairs of the Holy See, particularly during the Sede Vacante which is the period from the moment of the Pope's passing away until the election of a new Pope. During this time, he also has the right to request financial information from various Vatican departments.
The Role of the Camerlengo
The Camerlengo’s mission lies in several areas, beginning with the official confirmation of the Pope’s death. He then seals the Papal room, reviews the Pope’s personal papers, and oversees the funeral arrangements. Additionally, he organizes the Conclave to ensure the confidentiality and orderly conduct of the proceedings and voting.
The Camerlengo presides over the issuance of the death certificate, dressed in a white choir cassock and a red sash. He is responsible for placing the body in a coffin made of wood and zinc, following the Papal Funeral Rites updated by Pope Francis. He also drafts the official death document, which is attached to the certificate prepared by the Director of the Vatican’s Directorate of Health and Hygiene.
The Journey of Cardinal Farrell
Cardinal Kevin Farrell is a Clergyman from Dublin who acquired U.S. citizenship after many years of service in the United States. He holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
Born in 1947, Farrell left Ireland in his teens years and joined the Legionaries of Christ Order, leaving it decades before its founder's abuses were exposed. He studied in Spain and Rome and worked in Mexico and the United States. In 1984, he became a Priest in the Archdiocese of Washington and held senior positions in the local Church there.
The cardinal is known as the highest-ranking American Bishop in the central government of the Church, and is distinguished by his personality that enables him to be a decision-maker and an organized leader. He is fluent in English and Spanish and speaks Italian and Irish Gaelic.
In 2016, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Farrell as Director of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, and later elevated him to the rank of Cardinal. Three years later, he appointed him to the position of Camerlengo at the Vatican. In 2023, the Supreme Pontiff appointed him President of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, as well as President of both the Vatican's Commission for Sacred Matters and the Vatican's Commission for Investments. Farrell was also appointed as member of the governing boards overseeing the Holy See's property portfolio and the administration of Vatican City State.
As Cardinal Kevin Farrell manages the affairs of the Vatican, the world prays for the repose of Pope Francis' soul, awaiting the official funeral and burial ceremonies, and anticipating the election of a new Pope.
So, when will the white smoke rise from the Vatican?