The Mormon Church in Australia has presented Sydney's Cardinal Edward Cassidy, the former President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, with an award for heroic efforts to bring better understanding to the people of the world.

Presenting the "John Simpson Standing for Something" award to Cardinal Cassidy for his role in building interfaith relations across the world, Mormon Elder Paul Sybrowsky said that "Latter-day Saints have seen that Cardinal Cassidy is indeed a man filled with faith and courage to help make this a better world for all to live in."

In a message of congratulations, Premier Morris Iemma said that "no Australian has risen to greater eminence in the Catholic Church, and none has been such a devoted servant of the cause of ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue".

He praised the vision and generosity of spirit of the Mormons in honouring Cardinal Cassidy, "thus upholding the very values he has worked so hard to promote".

Prior to his role at the Pontifical Council, Cardinal Cassidy served in various diplomatic posts before becoming Substitute, the number three post in the Holy See, under John Paul II.

Cardinal Cassidy's latest book, Rediscovering Vatican II - Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue, published last year to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Vatican's ecumenism declaration Nostra Aetate, made a significant contribution to ongoing international inter-religious dialogue.

SOURCE
Interfaith honour for Cardinal Cassidy (Catholic Weekly, 1 October 2006