Cardinal Kevin Farrell takes charge of Vatican as acting head after Pope Francis’ death

Farrell, who announced that the pope had “returned to the home of the Father,” was appointed camerlengo by Pope Francis in 2019. In this role, he is tasked with overseeing and administering the temporal affairs of the Holy See.

According to CNN, his responsibilities include officially certifying the pope’s death, sealing the deceased pontiff’s private rooms, organizing the funeral rites, and arranging the conclave—the secretive gathering where cardinals elect the next pope.

Ceremonial and administrative duties begin

Wearing a white choir dress and red stole, Farrell presided over the ceremonial certification of death, the first moment of prayer following the pontiff’s passing.

He will also oversee the transfer of Pope Francis’s body from the chapel at Domus Santa Marta to St Peter’s Basilica, a ceremony that could take place as soon as Wednesday, according to the Vatican.

His duties also include drawing up the “authentic act of death,” which is attached to the official death certificate, and managing the day-to-day administration of the Vatican during this interim period.

Farrell chairs a three-member committee of cardinals and must consult the wider College of Cardinals on matters of importance.

Churchman with strong Vatican ties

Born in Dublin in 1947, Farrell left Ireland as a teenager to join the Legionaries of Christ, a religious order based in Mexico. He later left the order and was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.

Over the next three decades, he served in various leadership roles in the US, including as chaplain at the University of Monterrey in Mexico and pastor in Bethesda, Maryland. In 2007, he was appointed Bishop of Dallas.

His career within the Vatican accelerated under Pope Francis. In 2016, he was called to lead the newly formed Dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life, a key department focusing on pastoral care for families.

He was soon made a cardinal, and in 2023, Francis entrusted him with further responsibilities as President of the Supreme Court of Vatican City State, head of the Commission for Confidential Matters, and President of the Committee for Investments.

Administrator with an MBA

Known for his administrative acumen, Farrell holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. According to CNN, he is regarded as a strong organizer and trusted collaborator of Francis, fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and Irish Gaelic.

Despite his high-ranking status, Farrell has faced scrutiny in the past. While serving in Washington, he worked under then-Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, who was later defrocked for sexual abuse. Farrell has denied any knowledge of McCarrick’s misconduct, telling reporters, “Did I ever know? No. Did I ever suspect? No.”

As acting head of the Vatican, Farrell’s powers are limited to routine operations. He can access financial records, oversee logistics, and ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the upcoming conclave.

According to BBC, only two camerlengos in history have gone on to become pope themselves—Gioacchino Pecci (Pope Leo XIII) in 1878 and Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII) in 1939.

(With inputs from BBC and CNN)