On May 17, Catholic Extension Society honored Cardinal Kevin Farrell at the first annual Dallas Spirit of Francis Award Dinner. Proceeds from the evening benefitted the work of Catholic Extension Society in Texas.

Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, Bishop emeritus of Dallas, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, was born on September 2nd, 1947, in Dublin, Ireland. After completing primary and secondary school, he attended the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He holds a licentiate in philosophy and theology from the University of St.Thomas in Rome. He entered the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1966 and was ordained a priest on December 24th, 1978.

After ordination, he served as chaplain of the Regnun Christi Movement at the University of Monterrey in Mexico. Since 1983, he exercised his pastoral ministry in the parish of St. Bartholomew in Bethesda, in Washington.

In 1984, he was incardinated in the Archdiocese of Washington where he held the following positions: assistant pastor in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle (1984-1985); director of the Spanish Catholic Center (1986); acting executive director of the Catholic Charitable Organizations (1987-1988); secretary for financial affairs(1989-2001); and pastor of the Annunciation parish (2000-2002).

He was appointed titular bishop of Rusuccuru and auxiliary of Washington on December 28th, 2001, and received episcopal consecration on February 11th, 2002. Since 2001, he has held the office of vicar general for administration and moderator of the Curia. On March 6th, 2007 he was appointed as bishop of Dallas.

On August 15th, 2016, Pope Francis called him to serve in the Roman Curia, as prefect of the new Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life. He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 19 November 2016, diaconate of San Giuliano Martire.

On February 14, 2019, Pope Francis nominated him Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church and on September 29, 2020, the Holy Father appointed Cardinal Kevin Farrell as president of the Commission for Confidential Matters.