Edward Cassidy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Edward Cassidy AC |
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| President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity | |
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Cassidy, 11 December 1984
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Appointed | 12 December 1989 |
| Reign ended | 3 March 2001 |
| Predecessor | Johannes Willebrands |
| Successor | Walter Kasper |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest 'pro hac vice' of Santa Maria in Via Lata (2002–2021) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 23 July 1949 |
| Consecration | 15 November 1970 by Jean-Marie Villot |
| Created Cardinal | 28 June 1991 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon (1991–2002) Cardinal-Priest (2002–2021) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Edward Idris Cassidy |
| Born | 5 July 1924 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 10 April 2021 (aged 96) Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Previous post | Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to China (1970–79) Titular Archbishop of Amantia (1970–1991) Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Bangladesh (1973–79) Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Lesotho (1979–1984) Apostolic Delegate to Southern Africa (1979–1984) Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Netherlands (1984–88) Substitute for General Affairs (1988–89) President of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews (1989–2001) Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata (1991–2002) |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Lateran University Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy |
| Motto | Fortitudo mea Dominus |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Edward Idris Cassidy |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Amantia (titular see) |
Edward Idris Cassidy AC (1924–2021) was an important Australian leader in the Catholic Church. He was in charge of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity from 1989 to 2001. This group works to bring different Christian churches closer together. He also led the group that improved relations between the Catholic Church and Jewish people. Most of his career was spent working for the Vatican's diplomatic service around the world and in Rome. He became a Cardinal in 1991.
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Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Edward Cassidy was born in Sydney, Australia, on July 5, 1924. His parents divorced when he was very young. When he was a teenager, he wanted to become a priest. However, a priest told him he might not be suitable because he hadn't finished high school and his family wasn't Catholic.
In 1939, Edward had to leave school to help his grandmother because of money problems. He worked as a clerk. In 1942, he spoke directly to Archbishop Norman Gilroy of Sydney. The Archbishop agreed to let him join the seminary, a special school for priests. Edward started his studies in February 1943.
He became a priest for the Archdiocese of Sydney on July 23, 1949. Cardinal Gilroy led the ceremony. Another future cardinal, Edward Bede Clancy, became a priest at the same time. Edward Cassidy then chose to work in the Diocese of Wagga Wagga. In 1950, he was sent to a small church in Yenda.
Working as a Diplomat
In 1952, Edward Cassidy was asked to go to Rome to study canon law. This is the set of rules and laws for the Catholic Church. He agreed and moved to Rome. He studied at the Pontifical Lateran University and the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. He earned a special degree in diplomatic studies.
After finishing his studies in 1955, he joined the Vatican's diplomatic service. This meant he would represent the Pope and the Vatican in different countries.
- He worked in India, Ireland, and Portugal.
- In 1967, he was going to work in the United States.
- But he ended up working in El Salvador until 1969.
- Then he moved to Argentina.
On October 27, 1970, he was made a titular bishop of Amantia. This is a special title given to bishops who don't lead a specific church area. He also became the Vatican's representative to the Republic of China. On November 15, he was officially made a bishop.
He continued his diplomatic work:
- In 1973, he became the Vatican's representative to Bangladesh.
- In 1979, he was appointed to Southern Africa and Lesotho.
- He was the last person to hold the title of Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to China.
- In 1984, he became the Vatican's representative to the Netherlands.
Important Roles in the Vatican
In 1988, Edward Cassidy was given a very important job in the Roman Curia. This is like the government of the Catholic Church. He became a Substitute in the Secretariat of State.
Just one year later, in 1989, he was chosen to lead the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. This council works to build bridges between the Catholic Church and other Christian churches.
On June 28, 1991, Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal-Deacon. This is a very high rank in the Catholic Church. In 2002, after serving as a Cardinal-Deacon for ten years, he became a Cardinal-Priest.
In 1999, Cardinal Cassidy played a key role in creating the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. This was a huge step forward for ecumenism, which means working towards unity among Christian churches. This document helped to heal a long-standing disagreement between Catholics and Lutherans. Cardinal Cassidy even joked that signing it would be the one thing he could proudly tell God about on judgment day!
Retirement and Legacy
Cardinal Cassidy retired in 2001. He moved back to Australia, his home country. There, he sometimes helped local priests and served as a chaplain for Italian-speaking people in Newcastle.
In 2005, he published a book called Rediscovering Vatican II – Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue. This book was released for the 40th anniversary of a Vatican document called Nostra aetate, which talks about the Church's relationship with other religions. His book helped a lot with ongoing discussions between different faiths around the world.
Cardinal Edward Cassidy passed away in Newcastle, Australia, on April 10, 2021, at the age of 96.
Awards and Recognition
Cardinal Cassidy received many honors for his work:
- In 1990, he was given the title of Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). This was to recognize his service to religion and international affairs.
- In 2006, the LDS Church in Australia gave him an award. This award was for his efforts to help people of different faiths understand each other better. They said he was a man of faith and courage who helped make the world a better place.
- The Premier of New South Wales, Morris Iemma, also praised him. He said that no Australian had reached such a high position in the Catholic Church and that Cardinal Cassidy was a devoted servant of unity among Christians and different faiths.
See also
In Spanish: Edward Cassidy para niños
