Curriculum Vitae of Fr. Séamus Freeman, SAC

We communicate to you a great joy: today September 14^th. we received the news of the nomination, by Pope Benedict XVI, of Fr. Séamus Freeman, SAC as bishop of the Dioceses of Ossory in Ireland. Fr. Séamus Freeman, was born in Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary, Ireland, on February 23^rd, 1944.  He entered the minor seminary of the Society in Thurles, in 1958, he made First Profession on September 12^th, 1965, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 12^th, 1971. Following on ordination he became personal secretary to the Rector General of the Society, Fr. Nicholas Gorman, SAC; he studied Psychology at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, from 1973 to 1975.  He was Rector of the Church of San Silvestro in Capite, Rome, from 1975 to 1981 when he became Rector of the house of formation of the Society in Thurles.  At the General Assembly of 1983 he was elected General Consultor; he was re-elected at the Assembly of 1989 and became Vicar-General of the Society; he was elected Rector General at the Assembly of 1992 and re-elected to the post in the Assembly of 1998.  In October of 2005 he was nominated Parish Priest of the Parish of St. Vincent Pallotti, Pietralata, Roma, in a gesture of collaboration between the Italian and Irish Provinces of the Society. His dedication to the Union of the Catholic Apostolate is known to you all as is his insight into the charism entrusted by God to St. Vincent Pallotti and its role in the Church.  At the first General Assembly of the UAC held at the St. Vincent Pallotti Spirituality Centre, Grottaferrata, in December 2005, he was elected as a member of the General Coordination Council of the Union, the members of the Council elected him President of the UAC at the first meeting of the entire Council held in May 2006. Our Society gives thanks to God and to the Church for choosing our brother for this ministry.  We all join in wishing Fr. Séamus Freeman well and we assure him of our prayers. May he receive abundant graces from the Lord and may his apostolate be fruitful for the Diocese of Ossory and for the entire Church.