Extension magazine - Fall 2023

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BUILD Extension | Fall 2023 13
Spirit of Francis Award
Revered bishop turned top
Vatican adviser honored
with Catholic Extension’s
Spirit of Francis Award
Cardinal Kevin Farrell (center), former bishop
of the Diocese of Dallas, Texas, praised the work
of Catholic Extension as he received our Spirit of
Francis Award. Our chancellor, Cardinal Blase
Cupich (left), and our president, Father Jack
Wall (right), presented the award.
In May, Cardinal Kevin Farrell
returned to Dallas, Texas, which
he led as bishop from 2007 to
2016, to accept Catholic Extension’s
Spirit of Francis Award.
Currently serving in Rome,
he was named in 2016 to
the College of Cardinals and
appointed to various top Vatican
positions, including leader
of the newly established Dicastery
for Laity, the Family and
Life.
This was only his
second visit to the
city since his departure.
He still considers
Dallas his home.
He was glad to be welcomed
back to Texas,
where Catholic Extension
has built 2,000
church facilities—more
than in any other state.
With one of the highest
rates of population
growth of any diocese
in the country, Dallas is
in an increasingly unique and
influential position to broadly
impact American Catholicism.
A joyous reunion
Spirit of Francis Award
recipients are laudable for
their commitment to “reach
out to the margins of society”
in the spirit of St. Francis
of Assisi, Pope Francis and
Cardinal Kevin Farrell
returns to Dallas
to advocate
for the poor
Catholic Extension’s founder,
Father Francis Clement Kelley.
Cardinal Farrell told the crowd
of 300 donors, friends and
acquaintances gathered at
Dallas’ Morton H. Meyerson
Symphony Center, “I thank
you for this honor that I do not
deserve, and I accept it in the
name of all the people because
you made me who I am.”
The benefit dinner was
co-chaired by Lydia and Dan
Novakov and Mary and Rich
Templeton, who are Dallas
philanthropists and friends of
Cardinal Farrell.
“We are overjoyed to have
Cardinal Farrell accept Catholic
Extension’s invitation to this
celebratory dinner with the
Catholic people of Dallas so that
Bishop Edward Burns of the Diocese of Dallas, Texas, welcomed back his predecessor.
we can honor him,” said Lydia
Novakov.
Mary Templeton said that
the event was an “opportunity
to show Cardinal Farrell our
love and appreciation not only
for his past work among us,
but also for the ministry he has
undertaken on a global scale
to strengthen families, support
laypeople and uphold the dignity
of human life.”
More than just a reunion,
however, Cardinal Farrell came
back to Dallas at the invitation
of his successor, Bishop Edward
Burns, with a serious agenda
to support Catholic Extension
and the poor Catholic faith
communities of America.
From 2009 to 2017, Burns
served as bishop of Juneau,
Alaska, whose Catholics,
especially Native Alaskans,
are spread out over
vast distances in areas not
accessible by roads. Catholic
Extension funds the
costs to fly priests and
ministers to these communities
to administer the
sacraments.
“I give thanks for the extraordinary
work of Catholic
Extension,” said Bishop
Burns. “For more than a
century, this invaluable organization
has supported
the growth and vitality of Cath-