James Darcy Freeman

Freeman was born on 19 November 1907 in Annandale, to Robert Freeman, a tramway driver, and his wife Margaret Smith. He was educated at the Sisters of Charity, Elizabeth Bay and St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney, where he was regarded as a good student who enjoyed literature, music and sport.

He attended seminary at St Columba's Springwood and St Patrick's Seminary, Manly; and furthered his studies at the Pontifical Urban College of Propaganda Fide, Rome.[1] He was ordained on 13 July 1930 by Archbishop Bartolomeo Cattaneo and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Sydney.[2]

He served as an assistant priest in Grafton, Murwillumbah, Strathfield, Mosman and at St Mary's Cathedral. From 1941 – 1946 he became the private secretary to the archbishop and chaplain to the Christian Brothers College of St Patrick's College, Strathfield. He also served as administrator of Haymarket parish and parish priest of Stanmore.

Freeman was elected in partibus infidelium as Bishop of Hermopolis and auxiliary of Sydney on 9 December 1956. He was consecrated on 24 January 1957 at St Mary's Cathedral by Cardinal Norman Gilroy and spent 12 years as a loyal auxiliary to the man he has served as secretary. In October 1969 he was appointed Bishop of Armidale for three years after the death of Bishop Doody in 1968. He led the celebrations of the centenary of the Armidale diocese, 1869 to 1969.[3]

On the retirement of Cardinal Gilroy in July 1971, Freeman's appointment as Archbishop of Sydney was announced.

Freeman participated in the elections of Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II in Rome in 1978.

On 5 March 1973, Freeman was appointed Cardinal Priest of the Title of Our Lady of Peace of Ostia by Pope Paul VI. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1977.[4]

In May 2016, to mark the 25th anniversary of his death, his former secretary, Peter Ingham , preached at an anniversary Mass, recalling "the widespread honour, affection and respect with which he was held in the communities where he was known." He further recalled that he sometimes called him "'the reluctant cardinal' – he never sought honours yet they came to him anyway."[5]

Freeman retired as Archbishop of Sydney on 12 February 1983, to St John Vianney Villa, Randwick. He died on 16 March 1991 at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, at the age of 83 and was buried in the crypt of St Mary's Cathedral.[1]

Freeman is the patron of the Freeman Catholic College at Bonnyrigg Heights, which opened in 1985 and has a student population of 1,220 and a teaching and support staff of 114. In 1987, the Cardinal Freeman Centre was established at Granville as part of the St Vincent de Paul Society to provide accommodation and support for the homeless men in the western suburbs of Sydney who have been affected by drug and alcohol-related problems. The Cardinal Freeman Village in Ashfield is a retirement home providing accommodation to 380 people. Freeman House in Armidale, continues in honour of his time and service in the Diocese of Armidale.[6]

• "Honour shared by all: 12 October 2003" The Catholic Weekly Online. Accessed 23 May 2008.
• "Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sydney" GCatholic.org. Accessed 23 May 2008.
• "Bishops of Australia". AustOceaniaBishops.org Accessed 23 May 2008.
• "Archdiocese of Sydney". Sydney.Catholic.org.au. Accessed 23 May 2008.
• "Patron His Eminence Cardinal Sir James Freeman". Freeman Catholic College Web Site Accessed 23 May 2008.
• "Cardinal Freeman Village". Aevum Limited Accessed 23 May 2008.
• "Cardinal Freeman Centre" St Vincent de Paul Society Accessed 23 May 2008.