Diplomatic Service
In 1952, Bishop Francis Henschke of Wagga Wagga asked him if he would like to go to Rome to study canon law; he agreed and left for Rome on 1 September 1952. While studying in Rome, he resided at Collegio Sant'Apollinare, next to Piazza Navona. He completed his education studying at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, where he obtained a doctorate in canon law in July 1955 with a dissertation on the history and juridical nature of apostolic delegations, and at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, also in Rome, from October 1953, where he obtained a diploma in diplomatic studies. After finishing his studies, he joined the Vatican diplomatic service in July 1955.
He served in the nunciatures in India, Ireland, and Portugal. He was appointed counselor of the apostolic delegation in the United States in June 1967, but as the nuncio in Ireland, Archbishop Giuseppe Sensi, was then transferred to the nunciature in Portugal, had to stay in Dublin until the following November, when he was named instead counselor of the nunciature in El Salvador, where he remained until the end of 1969, becoming then counselor of the nunciature in Argentina until his promotion to the episcopate in 1970.
At the age of 46, on 27 October 1970 he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Amantia and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Republic of China. He was consecrated on 15 November by Cardinal Jean-Marie Villot assisted by Archbishops Giovanni Benelli and Matthew Beovich, representing Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli. He later served as Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Bangladesh, and after that as Apostolic Delegate to Southern Africa and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Lesotho.
Read more about this topic: Edward Cassidy
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