Pope Taps Dallas Bishop To Head New Vatican Office For Families
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VATICAN CITY (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Pope Francis has named an American, Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell, to head the new Vatican office for families and laity.
Farrell, a former Legion of Christ priest whose brother is also a top Vatican official, becomes one of the highest-ranking Americans at the Holy See.
Francis appointed Farrell on Wednesday as he formally created the new Dicastery for the Laity, Families and Life, which combines several Vatican offices into one. The reform is part of Francis' bigger overhaul of the Vatican bureaucracy to make it more efficient and reflects the pope's focus on better ministering to Catholic families and laity.
Farrell, 69, says his role will be to help lay people serve in a greater role in the Catholic Church.
Farrell is originally from Dublin, Ireland, and was ordained in 1978. He was appointed bishop in Dallas in 2007.
Bishop Farrell will be leaving for his new post in October, with Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly overseeing the diocese until the pope makes a permanent appointment.
Bishop Farrell spoke with NewsRadio 1080 KRLD's Chris Sommer:
In his Apostolic Letter the Pope wrote that the new Dicastery will be "governed by special Statues" and all the responsibilities and functions held by the current Pontifical Councils for the Laity and for the Family will be transferred to the new Dicastery from September 1st. After that date the two Councils in question will cease to exist.
As a loving Mother, the Pope wrote, the Church has always throughout the centuries shown her concern for the laity, the family and life, by witnessing our Lord's merciful love for humanity and we want to ensure that "the riches of Jesus Christ are poured out appropriately and with profusion among the faithful."
For this reason, we are taking prompt moves so that that "the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia can respond to the situation of our times and adapt to the needs of the universal Church. In particular, our thoughts are turned towards the laity, the family and life to whom we wish to offer our support and help so that they are active witnesses of the Gospel in our times and as a sign of the goodness of the Lord."
In a related appointment Wednesday, Francis named the former head of the Vatican's office for family matters, Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, to lead the Vatican's bioethics think tank and marriage institute.
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