‘We’re from the Vatican, and we’re here for the kids.’ (Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Pope Francis and Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell at meeting in preparation for the Synod on Young People. CNS photo/Paul Haring)
Bishop Tobin tweeted this query to Cardinal Kevin Farrell who sits atop his prestigious and lofty Pontifical dicastery:
Tobin posits the obvious objection against Farrell: “It seems fair to ask, then, if a celibate cleric has sufficient ‘credibility’ to lead a dicastery devoted to laity, family and life.”
In light of the media firestorm of allegations and Church sex abuse settlements regarding Cardinal McCarrick’s conduct, it’s relevant to pose a few more questions to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, sitting over in the Vatican opining on the laity, family and life.
“The lion rampant honors Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop emeritus of Washington, and the Irish sept of O'Farrell. In the upper portion of the shield, gold (yellow) and the lion (red) are derived from the Arms of Cardinal McCarrick,whom Bishop Farrell assisted as Auxiliary Bishop of Washington. The lower portion of the lion in gold (yellow) derives from the Irish sept of O'Farrell. Here a blue field has been substituted for the green of the O'Farrell Arms, to honor Our Lady of Lourdes, upon whose feast day Bishop Farrell received ordination to the episcopate at the hands of the Cardinal Archbishop of Washington.”
What a tribute to Ted McCarrick embedded in the Cardinal’s Coat of Arms! Three references and images to one of the Catholic Church’s foremost sexual predators displayed in the Coat of Arms of the head of the Pontifical Dicastery of Laity, Family, and Life. Farrell modeled and adopted his heraldic Coat of Arms after the disgraced Ted McCarrick. Are you going to keep this Coat of Arms?
In his prominent curial role as head of the Laity, Family and Life, Cardinal Kevin Farrell is in charge of the upcoming Synod on the Youth. In preparation for the upcoming Synod, Farrell urged the young people,that they must say “how the Church needs to change its ways of doing things so we can be more attuned to the voice and to the hearts of the young.”
One final question for Cardinal Farrell:
Will the Catholic Church be more attuned now to the voices and hearts of the Ted McCarrick victims?
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Elizabeth Yore is an attorney who specializes in international child advocacy and has investigated clergy sex abuse.