Cardinal Edward Cassidy, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, introduces Pope John Paul II to Father James Puglisi, SA, Director of Centro Pro Unione in Rome in May, 2000.
Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, passed into eternal rest on April 10, 2021. He was a faithful servant to God and the Catholic Church and a friend of the Friars of the Atonement for many years.
Cardinal Cassidy demonstrated constant fidelity to the Church and to the Holy See over a lifetime of dedicated service. Skilled at the art of diplomacy and able to bridge divisions and find common ground, he forged lasting relationships between the Catholic Church and numerous other faith traditions that still bear fruit to this day.
Cardinal Cassidy advanced the cause of the ecumenical movement in untold ways. Among his manifold contributions, Cardinal Cassidy helped establish diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Bangladesh, he was instrumental in the publication of “We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah” and he facilitated the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification signed by Catholics and Lutherans.
The Friars fondly remember Cardinal Cassidy for his deep devotion to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, as an avid reader of Ecumenical Trends and for his years of loyal friendship and support.
Rest in Peace Good and Faithful Servant.