Edward Idris Cassidy

Edward Idris Cassidy (born July 5 1924) is an Australian Roman Catholic Cardinal Priest. He is the President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity within the Vatican and headed the Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews. He was made a Cardinal on 28 June 1991.

Biography

Cassidy was born in Sydney. He was ordained a priest of the Wagga Wagga diocese in 1949, and entered the Vatican diplomatic corps as a young cleric. While in the diplomatic corps, he served posts responsible for China, Bangladesh, Lesotho, South Africa and the Netherlands before being appointed an Official of State for the Roman Curia in 1988. In 1991 Pope John Paul II created him Cardinal Deacon of "S. Maria in Via Lata". On 3 March 2001 he took the option open to all Cardinal Deacons that they be elevated to the rank of Cardinal Priest after 10 years as a Cardinal Deacon. He was appointed President of the Council for Promoting Christian Unity in 1989, retiring in 2001 and returning to his native Australia.

His book titled "Rediscovering Vatican II - Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue", published 2005, and marking the 40th Anniversary of the Vatican's ecumenism declaration Nostra Aetate, made a significant contribution to ongoing international inter-religious dialogue. infobox cardinalstyles
cardinal name=Edward Idris Cassidy
dipstyle=His Eminence
offstyle=Your Eminence
See=Amantia (titular see)|In 2004, he created controversy with his comment that Dominus Iesus, the conservative declaration issued by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) did not faithfully represent the Catholic Church's position on ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue.

After his retirement, for the first time ever in 2003 during the period from October 21st (when George Pell was made Cardinal) until Edward Bede Clancy's 80th birthday on December 13th there were three Australian Cardinal electors (had a Papal election become necessary) including Edward Bede Clancy and George Pell.

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External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcassidye.html Cardinal Cassidy on Catholic hierarchy.org]
* [http://www.cardinalrating.com/cardinal_163.htm Cardinal Cassidy on "What the Cardinals believe"]
* [http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1557 Interview with Cardinal Cassidy]
* [http://www.cathnews.com/news/510/88.php news item on his book]