Background
Cassidy, Edward Idris Cardinal was born on July 5, 1924 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Son of Harold George and Dorothy May (Philipps) Cassidy.
Cassidy, Edward Idris Cardinal was born on July 5, 1924 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Son of Harold George and Dorothy May (Philipps) Cassidy.
Student, St. Columba Seminary, Springwood, Australia, 1943. Graduate, St. Patrick's College, Manly, Australia, 1949. Doctor of Canon Law, Lateran University, Rome, 1955.
Doctorate in Law (honorary), University Notre Dame, 1995. Doctorate in Letters (honorary), University Reno, 1999. Doctorate in Letters (honorary), Loyola University Chicago, 2001.
Doctorate in Letters (honorary), College of St. Rose, Albany, New York, 2001. Doctorate in Letters (honorary), Thiel College, Greenville, Pennsylvania, 2001. Doctor of Divinity (honorary), University Toronto, 2005.
Ordained priest Diocese of Wagga Wagga, Australia, 1949. Assistant priest Yenda parish, Wagga Wagga, Australia, 1950-1952. Diplomatic posts in India, Ireland, El Salvador, Argentina Secretariat of State, Vatican City, 1955—1970.
Ordained bishop, 1970. Archbishop, apostolic pro-nuncio to China, 1970—1973. Apostolic pro-nuncio to Bangladesh, 1973—1979.
Apostolic pro-nuncio to South Africa & Lesotho, 1979—1984. Apostolic pro-nuncio to Netherlands, 1984—1988. Substitute Vatican Secretariat of State, Rome, 1988-1989.
President Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, 1989-2001, president emeritus, since 2001. Elevated to cardinal, 1991. Cardinal-priest S. Maria in Via Lata, since 1991.
Member Council of Control committee for Jubilee Year 2000. Member Council of Secretariat of State's Second Section Congregation of Doctrine of Faith, Congregation for the Bishops, Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Administration of Patrimony of Apostolic See, Congregation for Evangelization of the Peoples, Congregation for Divine Worship andthe Discipline of Sacraments, Pontifical Council Inter-religious Dialogue, Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Pontifical Common for Latin American.