Edward Cassidy

Edward Idris Cassidy AC (5 July 1924 – 10 April 2021) was an Australian prelate of the Catholic Church who was president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity from 1989 to 2001. He headed the Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews. He spent most of his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See both in Rome and overseas. He was made a cardinal in 1991.

Early life Cassidy was born in Sydney on 5 July 1924. His parents were not Catholic and divorced while he was just one. He was consecrated on 15 November by Cardinal Jean-Marie Villot assisted by Archbishops Giovanni Benelli and Matthew Beovich, representing Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli. On 31 January 1973 he was additionally named the first Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Bangladesh (Cassidy relocated to Dhaka shortly thereafter) and Apostolic Delegate to Burma. On 25 March 1979, Pope John Paul II appointed him Apostolic Delegate to Southern Africa and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Lesotho. His term as Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to China only ended in April 1979; he was the last to hold that title. On 6 November 1984, he was appointed Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Netherlands.

Roman Curia On 30 May 1988 he was appointed Substitute of the Secretariat of State in the Roman Curia. After only a year he was appointed president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. In the consistory of 28 June 1991 Pope John Paul II created him Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata. On 26 February 2002 he took the option open to cardinal deacons to be elevated to the rank of cardinal priest after ten years as a cardinal deacon.

In 1999, Cassidy was jointly responsible for the publication of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, widely received as a landmark achievement for ecumenism in bridging the centuries-long divide between Catholics and Lutherans.

Retirement When he retired in 2001, he returned to his native Australia, where he substituted for local priests on occasion and served as chaplain to the Italian-speaking community of Newcastle.

His book titled Rediscovering Vatican II – Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue, was published 2005 and marked the 40th anniversary of the Vatican's ecumenism declaration Nostra aetate. The book made a significant contribution to ongoing international inter-religious dialogue.

Cassidy died in Newcastle, Australia, on 10 April 2021 at the age of 96.

Honours In 1990, Cassidy was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in "recognition of service to the [sic] religion and to international affairs".

In 2006, the LDS Church in Australia presented Cassidy with an award for his efforts to bring better understanding to the people of the world. Presenting the "John Simpson Standing for Something" award to Cassidy for his role in building interfaith relations across the world, LDS Elder Paul Sybrowsky said that "Latter-day Saints have seen that Cardinal Cassidy is indeed a man filled with faith and courage to help make this a better world for all to live in." In a message of congratulations, Premier Morris Iemma (also a Catholic) said that "no Australian has risen to greater eminence in the Catholic Church, and none has been such a devoted servant of the cause of ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue."