Fr Edmund O'Neill SDB received his Doctorate in Canon Law on Friday 3rd November 2006, at an Academic Mass and Graduation ceremony in the St Augustine College of South Africa.

Fr Eddie with Fr Michael Power SDB(left) and Fr Canice Dooley SDB.

Fr Eddie was born in Droylsden, Manchester, and was a pupil at St Stephen's Catholic School and Salesian Missionary College, Shrigley Park. He joined the Salesians in 1965 and went almost immediately to South Africa, which was then part of the Anglo-Irish Province. He studied for the priesthood in Ireland but after ordination he returned to Cape Town.

He undertook further studies in Canada and obtained a Master's degree in Canon Law from the University of Ottawa in 1985. He has used his expertise in several posts in the Archdiocese of Cape Town and has lectured at the diocesan seminary and St Augustine College, where he commenced his doctoral studies in 2003.

The title of Fr Eddie's dissertation is 'The Temporal Goods of the Church, with particular reference to the property of the Archdiocese of Cape Town.' In addition to his diocesan responsibilities, as Episcopal Vicar for Property and Development, he is currently directing the Salesian Planning and Development Office.