Church 'giant' Cardinal Cassidy Edwards remembered for Wagga roots

The 96-year-old was remembered as a "giant of the church" who for 30 years travelled around Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa in his role as a Vatican diplomat, and later made strides in interfaith relations in his role as the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in 1989.

Before his remarkable career however, a newly-ordained Edward Cassidy was sent to the Wagga Diocese for his first role as an assistant priest to the parishes of Yenda, Hanwood and Yoogali.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Bishop Mark Edwards of Wagga Diocese said though the young Edward Cassidy was only in Wagga for two years between 1950 and 1952 before being sent to Rome, he kept deep and lasting friendships in the Riverina until his death.

"He made really deep, sincere and warm friends in Wagga diocese and kept those friendships forever," Bishop Edwards said. "When he died, they were the people crying at his funeral, the people that he met all the way back there in '51 and '52, who were in his youth group."

In Rome, the future Cardinal would eventually become the equivalent to the Pope's chief of staff in the Vatican Secretariat of State, but Bishop Edwards said the increasingly prestigious Aussie boy never forgot his roots.

"He was a local boy made good, even though he was away he kept his roots in Wagga he kept friends and kept in contact with priests here," the Bishop said. "One year, the bishop of Wagga asked him to do the retreat for the priests of the diocese and he came out and did that."

His family remember that same loyalty and regard for friendship in their experiences with Cardinal Cassidy.

Mark Maynard, married Cardinal Cassidy's niece Robyn, and the pair live in Gundagai where Cardinal Cassidy would visit them.

Mr Maynard remembers the Cardinal bringing the Cassidy family to Rome for a private audience with Pope John Paul II when he was made a cardinal in 1991, a meeting that meant the world to his family.

"There were 22 family members and we had a private audience with the Pope," Mr Maynard said. "It was an unreal experience."

Mr Maynard remembers the Cardinal as a "fantastic bloke, very down to earth" who retained his Australian love of a drink and a chat, even after his years travelling the world for the Church.

In 1990, the Cardinal was named a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1990 in recognition of his contributions to religion and international affairs.

At the Cardinal's funeral at Saint Mary's Cathedral in Sydney last week, Archbishop Anthony Fisher joked that his early assignment to Wagga was the first of his many and varied adventures.

"Of all his exotic assignments, surely the strangest was to deepest, darkest Wagga Wagga diocese, where he did ordinary priests' work," the Archbishop said.

Online, the Archbishop commemorated his as a "man of immense charm and intellect, of deep faith in Christ and fidelity to the Church".

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: