A cardinal born in Ireland announced to the world the passing of Pope Francis.Cardinal Kevin Farrell, 77, confirmed that the leader of the Catholic Church succumbed on Easter Monday after facing serious health issues, including pneumonia.
In February 2019, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Farrell as the Camerlengo, or keeper of the keys, for the Holy Roman Church.
He will play a vital role during the current “sede vacante” period when the Church is without a pope.
Kevin Joseph Farrell was born in Dublin on 2 September 1947 and grew up on Galtymore Park in Drimnagh.
After completing secondary education, he left Ireland to study at the University of Salamanca in Spain and later at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, before being ordained as a priest on 24 December 1978.
“It was an Irishman, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who made the formal announcement of the Pope’s death to the world,” said Fr Michael Collins, an author who has written books about Pope Francis.
“He serves as the Camerlengo, the key keeper, and his role includes confirming the Pope’s passing,” he explained on RTÉ radio.
Cardinal Farrell is now in charge of the daily operations of the Vatican, assisted by three other cardinals.
He will lead meetings to set the date for Pope Francis’s funeral and oversee various organizational tasks, culminating in the Conclave to elect the next pope.
As Camerlengo, he has the authority to request budget reports, financial information, and updates on ongoing matters from all Vatican departments.
Cardinal Farrell has spent most of his priesthood in the United States, including nearly 30 years in the Washington DC area and nine years in Dallas, as well as serving as chaplain at the University of Monterrey in Mexico.
In 2016, Pope Francis appointed him to lead the newly established Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, leading to his first Vatican posting in Rome, where he was elevated to cardinal.
Since January 2024, Cardinal Farrell has also served as president of the Vatican City State Supreme Court.
