James P. Cassidy, Ph.D., served as chancellor of New York Medical College from 1987 to 1992.
Dr. James P. Cassidy, Ph.D., became a member of the NYMC Board of Trustees in 1972 when he was the director of the Department of Health and Hospitals Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York with responsibility for 17 Catholic hospitals and home care agencies. He also served for many years as the second vice chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees and was a member of the executive committee prior to becoming chancellor.
During Dr. Cassidy’s tenure on the Board of Trustees, he was instrumental in the conversion of Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospital into a specialty hospital serving the developmentally disabled, now known as Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center (TCC). Today TCC remains a College affiliate and provides exceptional long-term residential care, short-term rehabilitation and other vital health services for people with diverse needs.
During his term as chancellor, Dr. Cassidy’s interest and experience in international health led him to establish the Institute for International Health to utilize the expertise of the College’s faculty and resources to provide professional assistance, on-site training, technical expertise and financial support to advance global health care.
Dr. Cassidy departed NYMC in 1992 when he was appointed to a Vatican post in Rome to establish an International Association of Catholic Health Institutions under the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers.
Dr. Cassidy received a B.A. degree from St. Joseph’s Seminary and College and was ordained a priest in 1951. He received an M.S. degree and a Ph.D. in educational psychology, counseling and guidance from Fordham University where he completed postgraduate work in clinical psychology. He completed a postgraduate residency in clinical psychology at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan.
Dr. Cassidy served as a parish priest for many years and was a marriage counselor, senior clinical psychologist, director of Family Consultation Service, and associate professor at St. John’s University. He was elevated to the rank of Monsignor in 1968, and was appointed Prelate to His Holiness and served as director of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, director of International Association of Catholic Health Institutions at the Vatican, administrator of Holy Spirit Church in Cortland Manor, N.Y. and staff psychologist and director of counseling at the Pontifical North American College in Vatican City. He was in residence at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City from 2003 to 2010.
Dr. Cassidy was a Conventual Chaplain ad honorem of the Order of Malta. He was elected assistant principal chaplain of the American Association and was awarded the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta Grand Cross Condentual Chaplain ad honorem. He was awarded the Grand Cross Pro Piis Meritis in May 2015 on the occasion of his 90th birthday celebration.
Dr. Cassidy died on October 14, 2015, at the age of 90.