Kevin Farrell


Kevin Joseph Farrell

Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life
Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church
Farrell in 2021
ChurchCatholic Church
Appointed15 August 2016
Installed14 February 2019 (as Camerlengo)
PredecessorJean-Louis Tauran (Camerlengo)
Other post(s)
  • Cardinal-Deacon of San Giuliano Martire (2016present)
  • President of the Pontifical Commission for Confidential Matters (2020present)
  • Chair of the Pontifical Committee for Investments (2022present)
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination24 December 1978
by Eduardo Francisco Pironio
Consecration11 February 2002
by Theodore Edgar McCarrick
Created cardinal19 November 2016
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal deacon
Personal details
Born
Kevin Joseph Farrell

(1947-09-02) 2 September 1947
Dublin, Ireland
Nationality
    • Ireland
    • United States
Motto
  • State in fide
  • Stay firm in the faith
Ordination history of
Kevin Farrell
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byEduardo Francisco Pironio
Date24 December 1978
PlaceRome, Italy
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorTheodore Edgar McCarrick
Co-consecrators
Date11 February 2002
Cardinalate
Elevated byPope Francis
Date19 November 2016
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Kevin Farrell as principal consecrator
J. Douglas Deshotel27 April 2010
Mark J. Seitz27 April 2010
John Gregory Kelly11 February 2016
Styles of
Kevin Joseph Farrell
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal

Kevin Joseph Farrell (born 2 September 1947) is an Irish-born American Catholic prelate who has served as the prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life since 2016, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church since 2019, and president of the Supreme Court of Vatican City since 2024. He served as the regent of Vatican City after the death of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025, and held these interim duties until Leo XIV was elected as pope on 8 May.

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 the Archdiocese of Washington from 2002 to 2007 and Bishop of Dallas from 2007 to 2017. He was made a cardinal in 2016.