The following is from a Feb. 14 story by Catholic News Agency.
Vatican City— Pope Francis nominated a new camerlengo, Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, and a former bishop of Dallas.
The responsibilities of camerlengo include overseeing the preparations for a papal conclave and managing the administration of the Holy See in the period between a pope’s death or renunciation and the election of a new pope.
Farrell was one of several bishops about whom questions were raised last summer regarding prior knowledge of Archbishop Theodore McCarrick’s misdeeds in the dioceses of Metuchen and Newark.
Farrell had served as an auxilary bishop under the former cardinal in Washington, DC, as well as moderator of the curia and vicar general, a chief advisory role to the disgraced archbishop.
Farrell lived together with McCarrick in a renovated parish building in Washington’s Kalorama neighborhood for six years, and many have characterized McCarrick as a mentor to the cardinal.
Last July, Farrell denied having any knowledge of accusations of sexual abuse or harassment against McCarrick.
A former member of the Legion of Christ, Farrell had also previously denied having prior knowledge of sexual abuse on the part of the Legion of Christ’s founder, Marcial Maciel.
Farrell also caused controversy last summer after he suggested in an interview with the Irish Catholic magazine Intercom that priests lack the necessary experience to provide adequate marriage preparation to engaged couples, saying, “priests are not the best people to train others for marriage.” The comment echoed a statement of his from September 2017, that priests have “no credibility when it comes to living the reality of marriage.”
The office of camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, which is situated within the pontifical household, has been vacant since the death of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran last July.
To take office, Farrell, 71, will take an oath before Pope Francis, who will give him a scepter, a symbol of the authority of the camerlengo. The current scepter, covered in red velvet, dates to the papacy of Benedict XV.
Does this suggest a conclave is possible in the near future? Or perhaps a ‘nothing’ job to keep out of the him out of the McCarrick spotlight?
At least he was spot on regarding priests and marriage except for the few who fall into one of the limited exceptions in the Latin Rite.
He knew….
Very offensive! too close to the Pope!
The Irish-born Cardinal Farrell lived for six years with Theodore McCarrick, and was an auxilliary bishop for him, for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.. McCarrick is said to have been his mentor. Surely Farrell must have known something about McCarrick’s evil sex abuse crimes– and convictions– in New York and New Jersey, prior to his elevation to be the Cardinal-Archbishop of Washington, D.C.!! Horrible!! Hope he will soon be laicized!! The trio of Wuerl, McCarrick, and Farrell–who are all close to the Holy Father– is a horror beyond belief!! And now– Farrell as our Church’s camerlengo?? No!!
Speaking of Theodore McCarrick– I was pretty shocked, reading a recent article, all about the sex abuse scandals in the Southern Baptist Church– called formally, the “Southern Baptist Convention.” These scandals, dating back to the year 1998, include about 280 church ministers and volunteers, committing sex abuse crimes on 700 victims– many of them, children! Shocking! The Southern Baptist Convention does not have the centralized authority that the Roman Catholic Church has. Nowhere to file reports. Each church is separate, independent, self-governing. I am so sorry for the poor, suffering victims!
Sorry– the number of Baptist ministers and volunteers accused of sex molestation, in the Southern Baptist Convention– was 380!!– not 280, as I had previously mis-typed, in my first post about the subject! I am so shocked! And so sorry for all of those poor, suffering victims!!
That American Ferrell was made Cardinal by Pope Francisco with the support of McCarrick, Cupich and Wuerl tells me all I need to know about this very important member of the Curia. The next Conclave is already tainted by the homoheresy.
The Irish-born Cardinal Farrell lived for six years with Theodore McCarrick, and was an auxilliary bishop for him, for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.. McCarrick is said to have been his mentor. Surely Farrell must have known something about McCarrick’s evil sex abuse crimes– and convictions– in New York and New Jersey, prior to his elevation to be the Cardinal-Archbishop of Washington, D.C.!! Horrible!! Hope he will soon be laicized!! The trio of Wuerl, McCarrick, and Farrell–who are all close to the Holy Father– is a horror beyond belief!! And now– Farrell as our Church’s camerlengo?? No!!
He might have heard rumors. But rumors are not knowledge, and we are actually obligated as Catholics to ignore mere rumors. DId he witness McCarrick have sleep-overs with others? I’m guessing at McCarrick’sage, probably not. But we can’t go around accusing Farrell for inaction because he heard rumors about a fellow priest’s past. And if you see other posts of mine, I’m no defender of McCarrick.
Big Mistake! If he can’t/won’t see the homosexual abuse happening right under his nose, his judgement is in serious doubt. Watch for this to cause much pain and confusion.
Two words: McCarrick Junior
The “guilt by association” meme on this thread is disgusting.
Uh, sorry no he was not spot on about priests & marriage. An oncologist doesn’t need to have cancer to treat the patient. Sheesh, wake up!