Kevin Farrell Explained

Type:Cardinal
Honorific-Prefix:His Eminence
Kevin Joseph Farrell
Honorific Suffix:KGCHS
Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life
Church:Catholic
Appointed:August 15, 2016
Ordination:December 24, 1978
Ordained By:Eduardo Francisco Pironio
Consecration:February 11, 2002
Consecrated By:Theodore Edgar McCarrick
Cardinal:November 19, 2016
Created Cardinal By:Pope Francis
Rank:Cardinal-Deacon
Birth Name:Kevin Joseph Farrell
Birth Date:2 September 1947
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland
Cardinal Name:Kevin Joseph Farrell
Dipstyle:His Eminence
Offstyle:Your Eminence
Relstyle:Cardinal

Kevin Joseph Farrell KGCHS (born September 2, 1947) is an Irish-born prelate of the Catholic Church who has been a cardinal and has served as prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life since 2016. In 2019, he was appointed Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church as well.

After his ordination in 1978, Farrell served as a chaplain and university teacher for several years in Mexico and worked in the United States from 1984 to 2016. He was an auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese of Washington in Washington D.C. from 2002 to 2007 and bishop of the Diocese of Dallas in Texas from 2007 to 2017.

Biography

Early life

Farrell was born on September 2, 1947, in Dublin, Ireland and grew up speaking Irish.[1] He is the second of four sons. His older brother is Brian Farrell, who was appointed secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in the Roman Curia in 2002.

Farrell obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Salamanca in Spain. He then entered the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned a Master of Philosophy degree and Licentiate in Theology. He also attended the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, receiving a Master of Theology degree in dogmatic theology (1976) and a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in pastoral theology (1977).[2] He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame.[3] Notre Dame also granted Farrell an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2017.[4]

Priesthood

Farrell was ordained to the priesthood for the Legionaries of Christ by Cardinal Eduardo Pironio in Rome at Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica on December 24, 1978.[5] After his ordination, Farrell served as a chaplain at the University of Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico, where he also conducted seminars in bioethics and social ethics.

In the early 1980s, Farrell left the Legionaries to be incardinated in the Archdiocese of Washington. In 1984, Farrell was assigned as an associate pastor at St. Peter's Parish in Olney, Maryland. He also served at St. Bartholomew Parish in Bethesda, Maryland, and at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Washington, D.C. In 1985, Farrell was appointed director of the archdiocesan Spanish Catholic Center.[6]

Farrell became acting director of Catholic Charities in the archdiocese in 1988, and served as secretary of finance from 1989 to 2001. The Vatican raised him to the rank of monsignor in 1995. In 2001, Farrell was named vicar general for the archdiocese and pastor of Annunciation Parish in Washington.

Auxiliary Bishop of Washington

On December 28, 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed Farrell as an auxiliary bishop of Washington with the titular see of Rusuccuru. He was consecrated on February 11, 2002, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington by former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. His co-consecrators were Cardinal James Hickey and Bishop Leonard Olivier.

Farrell served until 2007 as Washington's moderator of the curia and chief vicar general.

Bishop of Dallas

Farrell was appointed bishop of Dallas by Pope Benedict XVI on March 6, 2007, replacing Bishop Charles Grahmann. Farrell was installed on May 1, 2007.[7]

Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Farrell was a consultant to the Committee on Migration, which oversaw the Migration and Refugee Services department.[8]

Farrell was the 2009 chair of the USCCB Committee on National Collections. His brother Brian Farrell is the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Kevin Farrell commented on his brother in 2015: "I'm younger, but I became bishop first, 12 months earlier. And we still have a little sibling rivalry."[9]

Cardinal

On August 17, 2016, Pope Francis appointed Farrell prefect of the newly established Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life in Rome.[10]

On October 9, 2016, Francis announced he would raise Farrell to the rank of cardinal in a consistory on November 19, 2016.[11] He was created a cardinal-deacon on that day and assigned to San Giuliano Martire Parish in Rome.[12] On June 10, 2017, Francis named Farrell a member of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See,[13] and on December 23, 2017, a member of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.[14] In July 2018, the University of Dallas named an administration building after Farrell, a former chancellor.[15] [16] On February 14, 2019, Francis named Farrell as camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.[17] [18]

In June 2019, Farrell admitted receiving a $29,000 gift from Bishop Michael J. Bransfield to refurbish his Rome apartment. A 2018 apostolic visitation to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia revealed that he had been using diocesan funds for these gifts and his own personal spending. Farrell returned the $29,000 to the diocese; Bransfield was removed from office in July 2019.[19]

On April 20, 2020, Farrell persuaded Francis to postpone both the 2021 World Meeting of Families and 2022 World Youth Day to June 2022 and August 2023 respectively due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] [21] [22]

On September 29, 2020, Francis appointed Farrell as president of the Commission for Confidential Matters, a new office in the Roman Curia.[23] According to the church's apostolic constitution, Praedicate Evangelium, the commission is responsible "1. to authorize any legal, economic or financial act that for the greater good of the Church or of persons must be kept confidential and removed from the examination and supervision of the competent entities; 2. to monitor contracts of the Holy See which by law demand confidentiality and to exercise vigilance over them."[24]

On June 7, 2022, Francis appointed Farrell as chair of the Pontifical Committee for Investments.[25] According to Praedicate Evangelium, the committee is responsible for "guaranteeing the ethical nature of the Holy See’s equity investments in accordance with the Church’s social doctrine and, at the same time, monitoring their profitability, propriety and degree of risk.[26]

On May 20, 2024, Pope Francis appointed Farrell as special envoy to the LIII International Eucharistic Congress, that will be held on September 8-15 in Quito, Ecuador.[27]

Controversies

Association with former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick

See main article: Theodore McCarrick. After McCarrick was laicized in 2018 for credible allegations of sexual abuse against a minor, further reports of accusations and legal settlements emerged, dating back years. These revelations led to public questions about whether bishops and clerics closely associated with McCarrick, including Farrell, had been aware of these accusations and settlements.

World Meeting of Families 2018

In September 2015, the Vatican announced that the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) would be held in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland, in 2018.[34] In August 2016, Francis appointed Farrell as head of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. As a result, Farrell took charge of the 2018 WMOF. Farrell said that Francis' visit to Ireland would be "inspirational" and "counter negativity" towards the Irish church.[35] On August 18, 2018, former Irish President Mary McAleese, a critic of the WMOF, said that meeting organizers had not invited her or her family to any of the WMOF events, saying:

On August 16, 2018, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, scheduled to lead a "pioneering session on child safeguarding", withdrew from the WMOF.[36] On August 18, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, due to address the conference, also pulled out.[37] Although organizers claimed to have sold over 500,000 tickets to WMOF, the Office of Public Works in Ireland confirmed that the attendance was only 152,000.[38] [39]

Views

Women and LGBTQ people

In February 2018, Farrell banned McAleese, a supporter of women's ordination and same-sex marriage, from speaking at a Vatican conference on Women in the Catholic Church.[40] McAleese sought an explanation for her exclusion from Francis through a canon law process, but received no response.

On March 18, 2021, Farrell defended a ban by Francis on the blessing of same-sex unions by priests. Farrell stated that a priestly blessing was a sacramental action related to marriage, which could only be between a man and a woman.[41]

Gun control

Farrell is a supporter of gun control initiatives and opposes "deference to the gun lobby" by the United States Congress.[42]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: The Dallas Morning News. Bishop Kevin Farrell has whirlwind first year as Dallas' Catholic Diocese leader. Hodges. Sam. https://web.archive.org/web/20100629033908/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/051808dnmetfarrell.3924190.html. June 29, 2010.
  2. Web site: Bio. www.officialcatholicdirectory.com. November 2, 2016. November 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161104021217/http://www.officialcatholicdirectory.com/special-feature-article/kevin-joseph-farrells-biography.html. live.
  3. Web site: Appointed Prefect of the New Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life . November 19, 2023 . Pontifical Council for the Laity . January 25, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240125045100/http://www.laici.va/content/laici/en/media/notizie/congratulazioni_farrell.html . live .
  4. Web site: Brown . Denis . March 30, 2017 . Seven to receive Notre Dame honorary degrees . November 19, 2023 . Notre Dame News . May 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517050826/https://news.nd.edu/news/seven-to-receive-notre-dame-honorary-degrees/ . live .
  5. Web site: Kevin Joseph Cardinal Farrell [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 8 November 2023 . 2023-11-19 . . David M. Cheney . October 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231008043519/http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bfarrellk.html . live .
  6. Web site: The Short Biography of Bishop Kevin J. Farrell . 2023-11-19 . Sacred Heart of Jesus Chinese Parish . May 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517050825/https://www.chinese-catholic.org/index.php/en/grapevine/year-2007/97-114-06-2007/221-the-short-biography-of-bishop-kevin-j-Farrell . live .
  7. Web site: Diocese of Dallas, United States. October 18, 2008. GCatholic.org. May 18, 2018. November 8, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161108073537/http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/dall0.htm. live.
  8. Web site: Committee Membership. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. November 18, 2008. September 28, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080928070338/http://www.usccb.org/mrs/committeemigration.shtml. live.
  9. News: Gaetan. Victor. The Bishops Farrell: An Answer to an Irish Mother's Prayers. June 10, 2017. National Catholic Register. March 26, 2015. October 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171001122025/http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/the-bishops-farrell-an-answer-to-an-irish-mothers-prayers. live.
  10. Rinunce e nomine. Holy See Press Office. August 17, 2016. it. August 17, 2016. August 17, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160817133617/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2016/08/17/0587/01317.html. live.
  11. Annuncio di Concistoro per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali. Holy See Press Office. October 9, 2016. May 18, 2018. it. October 9, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161009103407/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2016/10/09/0723/01609.html. live.
  12. Holy See Press Office. November 19, 2016. May 18, 2018. Titular churches and diaconates of the new cardinals. June 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230611045342/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2016/11/19/161119b.html. live.
  13. Resignations and Appointments. May 18, 2018. Holy See Press Office. June 10, 2017. September 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180916170958/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/06/10/170610c.html. live.
  14. Holy See Press Office. December 23, 2017. Resignations and Appointments. May 18, 2018. May 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180530185126/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/12/23/171223a.html. live.
  15. Web site: October 6, 2016 . University Names New Building Cardinal Farrell Hall . July 29, 2018 . University of Dallas . en . July 30, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180730021447/https://udallas.edu/news/2016/university-names-new-building-farrell-hall . live .
  16. News: University of Dallas Celebrates Completion of Cardinal Farrell Hall - Hill & Wilkinson . en-US . Hill & Wilkinson . July 29, 2018 . July 30, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180730021508/http://www.hill-wilkinson.com/news/university-dallas-celebrates-completion-cardinal-farrell-hall . live .
  17. Resignations and Appointments. February 14, 2019. Holy See Press Office. February 14, 2019. February 14, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190214174753/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2019/02/14/0129/00261.html#ca. live.
  18. Web site: Pope Francis names Cardinal Kevin Farrell camerlengo . 2023-11-19 . Catholic News Agency . en . November 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231119174151/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/40562/pope-francis-names-cardinal-kevin-farrell-camerlengo . live .
  19. News: Boburg, Sean et al., "Vatican cardinal, other priests to return cash gifts from ousted West Virginia bishop Michael Bransfield", The Washington Post, June 7, 2019 . . January 25, 2024 . November 25, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201125233041/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/vatican-cardinal-other-priests-to-return-cash-gifts-from-ousted-west-virginia-bishop-michael-bransfield/2019/06/07/6d546876-8940-11e9-98c1-e945ae5db8fb_story.html . live .
  20. Web site: April 20, 2020 . Declaration of the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni . The Vatican . January 25, 2024 . June 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230609233312/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/04/20/200420b.html . live .
  21. News: Pope postpones two mega-events by a year because of coronavirus. Reuters. April 20, 2020. January 25, 2024. May 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230517082421/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-pope-events/pope-postpones-two-mega-events-by-a-year-because-of-coronavirus-idUSKBN2222NY. live.
  22. Web site: Pope postpones World Meeting of Families, World Youth Day. April 20, 2020. January 25, 2024. December 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221210153306/https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/04/pope-postpones-world-meeting-of-families-world-youth-day. live.
  23. Web site: Resignations and Appointments. November 10, 2020. press.vatican.va. October 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201011062904/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/10/05/201005c.html. live.
  24. Web site: "Praedicate Evangelium" on the Roman Curia and its service to the Church and to the World (Commission for Confidential Matters, Art. 225)) . 2022-03-19 . Vatican . 2023-12-12 . July 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220706233425/https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/20220319-costituzione-ap-praedicate-evangelium.html#Commission_for_Confidential_Matters . live .
  25. Resignations and Appointments, 07.06.2022 . 2022-06-07 . . December 12, 2023 . December 12, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212061833/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2022/06/07/220607b.html . live .
  26. Web site: "Praedicate Evangelium" on the Roman Curia and its service to the Church and to the World (Committee for Investments, Art. 227) . 2022-03-19 . Vatican . 2023-12-12 . July 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220706233425/https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/20220319-costituzione-ap-praedicate-evangelium.html#Committee_for_Investments . live .
  27. Web site: El Papa Francisco nombra un enviado especial para el Congreso Eucarístico Internacional Quito 2024. Aciprensa.com. ES. May 20, 2024. May 20, 2024.
  28. Web site: Conconi . Chuck . October 2004 . The Man in the Red Hat . November 19, 2023 . The Washingtonian . July 31, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731060934/https://www.washingtonian.com/2004/10/01/the-man-in-the-red-hat/ . live .
  29. News: DOUGHERTY . MICHAEL BRENDAN . July 26, 2018 . Catholic Bishops Beg for a Clear Policy against Evil National Review . en-US . National Review . July 29, 2018 . December 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181215174421/https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/07/catholic-bishops-mishandle-sexual-abuse-allegations-against-cardinal-mccarrick/ . live .
  30. News: Dreher . Rod . July 23, 2018 . What Did The Cardinals Know? . en-us . The American Conservative . July 29, 2018 . July 30, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180730021538/http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/cardinals-mccarrick-tobin-omalley-farrell-sex-abuse/comment-page-1/ . live .
  31. News: McCarrick, the Bishops and Unanswered Questions. National Catholic Register. July 29, 2018. March 31, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190331085500/http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/mccarrick-the-bishops-and-unanswered-questions. live.
  32. Web site: Winters . Michael Sean . Bishop Farrell heads to Rome: What it means . National Catholic Reporter . August 17, 2016 . April 2, 2019 . May 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517050841/https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/bishop-farrell-heads-rome-what-it-means . live .
  33. Web site: About the Bishop. February 3, 2022. Bishop Kevin Farrell. https://web.archive.org/web/20220203161429/https://bishopkevinfarrell.org/about/. February 3, 2022.
  34. Web site: O'Shea . James . September 28, 2015 . Pope Francis for Ireland in 2018 as Dublin hosts World Family Meeting . November 19, 2023 . Irish Central . June 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605095627/https://www.irishcentral.com/news/pope-francis-for-ireland-in-2018-as-dublin-hosts-world-family-meeting . live .
  35. Web site: 'Papal visit to Ireland will inspire us and turn around negativity towards Church'. December 26, 2016. January 25, 2024. April 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210419083507/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/papal-visit-to-ireland-will-inspire-us-and-turn-around-negativity-towards-church-35320394.html. live.
  36. Web site: MacDonald . Sarah . August 16, 2018 . Prominent Cardinal cancels attendance at World Meeting of Families . November 19, 2023 . Irish Independent . August 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180819010830/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pope-francis-in-ireland/prominent-cardinal-cancels-attendance-at-world-meeting-of-families-37220919.html . live .
  37. Web site: O'Callaghan . Gavin . August 19, 2018 . Cardinal cancels Dublin visit days after US abuse report . November 19, 2023 . Dublin Live . May 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517050840/https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/cardinal-pulls-out-world-meeting-15048044 . live .
  38. News: OPW reveals final headcount for papal Mass in Phoenix Park . . January 25, 2024 . January 25, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240125045024/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/opw-reveals-final-headcount-for-papal-mass-in-phoenix-park-1.3634424 . live .
  39. Web site: Walsh . Oisín . July 9, 2018 . All 500,000 tickets now booked out for WMOF Papal Mass in Phoenix Park . November 19, 2023 . Catholic News . October 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231003233525/https://catholicnews.ie/all-500000-tickets-now-booked-out-for-wmof-papal-mass-in-phoenix-park/ . live .
  40. Web site: Vatican blocks McAleese from speaking at conference. RTÉ.ie. February 2, 2018. January 25, 2024. February 4, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180204000028/https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0202/937865-mcaleese-vatican-conference/. live.
  41. Web site: April 20, 2021 . Vatican cardinals defend gay union blessing ban amid dissent . May 2, 2022 . AP NEWS . en . May 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220502174256/https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinals-defend-gay-union-blessing-ban-cc5f22a1643363d1a574555eed36f3e5 . live .
  42. News: Horror in Las Vegas polarises the world of religion. The Economist. October 3, 2017. October 4, 2017. October 4, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171004001630/https://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2017/10/guns-and-god. live.

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