The Vatican’s announcement of Pope Francis’ death on Monday morning came from Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
The Irish-born American offered kind words about the late pontiff, saying: “He taught us to live the values of the gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of God, One and Triune.”
The announcement by Cardinal Farrell was just one aspect of his vital role over the coming days, as the Pope’s death made him the interim chief of the Catholic Church.
The role is known as the Camerlengo, or chamberlain.
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But who is Cardinal Farrell, and what are his responsibilities?
Who is Kevin Farrell?
Cardinal Farrell was born in Dublin in 1947, and ordained a priest in 1978, having studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and entered the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1966.
After being ordained, he served as chaplain of the Regnun Christi Movement at the University of Monterrey in Mexico.
In 1984, he was incardinated in the archdiocese of Washington, where he held a number of positions before being appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Washington by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
He served as Washington’s moderator of the curia and chief vicar general from 2001 until he was appointed as bishop of Dallas in 2007.
It was in 2016 that Pope Francis called on him to work at the Vatican as the prefect of the newly established Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.
Around three years later, he was nominated by the pope to be Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.
Since then, he has been entrusted with other jobs of significant responsibility, such as president of the Commission for Confidential Matters and president of the Vatican City State Supreme Court.
What are his responsibilities?
When a Pope dies or, more rarely, resigns, the Catholic Church enters a period called “sede vacante”. This means “empty seat” – as there is no Pope sitting on the throne of St Peter.
During this period, the Camerlengo – in this case, Cardinal Farrell – takes charge.
He is the one who was responsible for the formal determination of the Pope’s death.
He will have stood over the papal body this morning and ceremoniously called the Pope’s baptismal name three times. It is only when there is no response to the calls that the Pope is officially pronounced dead.
After this, the death certificate is written. The papal apartments are locked by the Camerlengo, with the papal study and bedroom sealed.
The Camerlengo then breaks the Pope’s signet ring and seal with shears, to prevent them from being used by anyone else.
Before announcing his death to the public, Cardinal Farrell will have shared the news with the vicar of Rome, the dean of the College of Cardinals, the ambassadors of the Holy See and the heads of nations.
In this sede vacante stage, which usually lasts a few weeks, Cardinal Farrell will run the administrative and financial duties of the Holy See until a new Pope takes over.
You can read more about the process to choose a new Pope here.
