Pope Picks Dallas Bishop for Vatican Job

Dallas (WBAP/KLIF News) – The leader of the Metroplex’s Catholic community is headed to Rome to start a new job. Bishop Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas says he was taken completely by surprise when he got a call from his boss, Pope Francis.

“My administrative assistant came in and said, ‘the Pope’s on the telephone’. I felt like saying ‘yeah, yeah’. But I didn’t; I just looked curiously at her.”

Sure enough, it was Pope Francis. He handpicked Farrell to lead the newly-created Dicastery – or Department — for Laity, Family and Life. In that role, Farrell will be in charge of global outreach programs to lay staff, youth and families.

He says he doesn’t know when he’ll leave, but it’ll be in the next few weeks. After he leaves, Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly will serve until a new Bishop is found.