Roman Catholic Cardinal. A native of Lithgow, Edward Bede Clancy was the son of a school teacher who raised him up following the early death of his wife. Receiving his first education at Holy Camp Public School in Grenfell, St. Monica's Primary School, and Good Samaritan School in Richmond, he entered Marist Brothers' College in Parramatta and successively St. Columba's College in Springwood; and St. Patrick's College in Manly. Ordained priest in July 1949, Clancy was soon sent to Rome in order to further his studies at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Pontifical Urbanian University, earning a licentiate and a doctorate in theology and another licentiate in Sacred Scriptures. Back in Sydney, he served as as assistant parish priest at Elizabeth Bay and later at Liverpool. Named faculty member of St. Columban's College Seminary, of which eventually became dean of discipline, in 1963 he was appointed chaplain of the University of Sydney and professor of theology of St. Patrick's College in Manly. Appointed auxiliary for the archdiocese of Sydney by Pope Paul VI, Clancy received his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Árd Carna on January 19, 1974. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Canberra and Goulburn on November 24, 1978, upon the death of Cardinal Freeman he was transferred to the metropolitan see of Sydney on February 12, 1983. President of the Australian Episcopal Conference between 1986 and 2000, Pope John Paul II created him cardinal priest with title of Santa Maria in Vallicella in the consistory of June 28, 1988. Named Member of the Order of Australia in 1984 and later Companion for service to religion, learning and the disadvantaged in the community in 1992, the Cardinal retired from the pastoral government of his see in March 2001, he spent his last eight years of life at Mount Saint Joseph's Hostel and Nursing Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor at Randwick, where he passed away after a long history of frail health. During his tenure in Sydney, St. Mary's Cathedral saw its renovation and completion of the two spires in architect William Wardell's original 1860's plans for the basilica; St. Patrick's College of Manly, the transition to the new Seminary of the Good Shepherd in Homebush, and through his support, especially in Rome, Australia received the eventual canonisation of its first saint, Mary MacKillop.