As the red ribbons were tied around the papal bedroom door, the knot solemnly sealed with wax, actor John Lithgow's character in the Oscar-nominated movie Conclave looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

For Lithgow's Cardinal Joseph Tremblay was camerlengo – the cardinal who assumes leadership of the Vatican in the period between a pope's death and the election of a successor.

But that, of course, was make-believe. Today's real-life camerlengo is former archbishop of Dallas, now cardinal, Kevin Farrell, who seemed equally somber on Monday morning, as he announced the death of Pope Francis.

Farrell, a 77-year-old Irish American who led the Catholic Church in the north of Texas until 2016, is now tasked with the job of steering the rudderless Holy See through perilous waters.

But, as portrayed by Lithgow and Conclave co-star Ralph Fiennes, who played the dean of cardinals, the selection of a new leader of the Catholic Church can be an incredibly fraught moment – one demanding a steady hand and a strong moral compass.

So, while some of those who knew Farrell in Texas heap praise on him, others are questioning whether the affable Dubliner is up to the epic task.

Exclusive interviews with Daily Mail, a whistleblowing priest inside the Catholic Church and one of America's largest advocates for victims of sexual abuse allege that Farrell's track record of spotting wolves among his flock puts his judgment in question.

From 2000 to 2006, Farrell served as the...

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