28 <strong>UB</strong>TODAY Winter 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu
Joe Freedy Former Bulls quarterback models life of service as C<strong>at</strong>holic priest alumniprofile As the starting quarterback through the Bulls’ first four years in Div<strong>is</strong>ion 1A, Joe Freedy had it all: accolades from the press, one of the most recognizable faces on campus, <strong>and</strong> the kind of close friendships you build through working <strong>and</strong> playing hard together—<strong>and</strong>, certainly, partying together. But despite h<strong>is</strong> popularity, Freedy felt a “wound” in h<strong>is</strong> heart. “Nothing s<strong>at</strong><strong>is</strong>fied,” he says. “And then, through prayer, I was able to hear God very slowly <strong>and</strong> gently inviting me to follow Him in a particular way.” By fall 2001, the start of h<strong>is</strong> fifth <strong>and</strong> final year <strong>at</strong> <strong>UB</strong>, Freedy had made a dec<strong>is</strong>ion: He would pursue h<strong>is</strong> voc<strong>at</strong>ion to serve as a Roman C<strong>at</strong>holic priest. In 2004, Freedy completed a master’s in philosophy for theological studies <strong>at</strong> Duquesne <strong>University</strong> <strong>and</strong> St. Paul Seminary in h<strong>is</strong> hometown of Pittsburgh. From there, Freedy’s b<strong>is</strong>hop sent him to complete the next phase of h<strong>is</strong> priestly form<strong>at</strong>ion program—three years of theology—<strong>at</strong> Pontifical North American College in the V<strong>at</strong>ican, the site where many U.S. b<strong>is</strong>hops have trained. On June 21, 2008, Freedy’s studies culmin<strong>at</strong>ed in h<strong>is</strong> ordin<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>at</strong> Pittsburgh’s St. Paul C<strong>at</strong>hedral. “It’s a gift th<strong>at</strong> I’m very much unworthy of <strong>and</strong> so gr<strong>at</strong>eful for,” says Freedy, who has returned to Rome for more studies, then will join St. Bernadette’s par<strong>is</strong>h near Pittsburgh. However unlikely Freedy’s story might seem, h<strong>is</strong> friends say th<strong>at</strong>, in hindsight, the priesthood fits him perfectly. They talk of h<strong>is</strong> toughness on the field, devotion to h<strong>is</strong> community, strength under pressure <strong>and</strong> genuine altru<strong>is</strong>m. They recall a born leader who never lost h<strong>is</strong> humility. Bill Barba, PhD ’80, a clinical professor <strong>and</strong> chair of the Department of Freedy close-up <strong>UB</strong> degree BA ’02, communic<strong>at</strong>ion; Favorite sport basketball. “I just was never any good <strong>at</strong> it,” he says humbly, “so I had to play football”; H<strong>is</strong> nieces’ nickname for him Frunkle Joe Educ<strong>at</strong>ional Leadership <strong>and</strong> Policy in <strong>UB</strong>’s Gradu<strong>at</strong>e School of Educ<strong>at</strong>ion, was one of more than 20 of Freedy’s friends from <strong>UB</strong> who <strong>at</strong>tended the ordin<strong>at</strong>ion. “Joe’s conversion has had a powerful impact on a lot of us,” Barba says. Now, Freedy leads in much more powerful—<strong>and</strong> often more subtle—ways than he did in h<strong>is</strong> years as #15. A few years ago, Barba v<strong>is</strong>ited Freedy in Rome, <strong>and</strong> several times, they passed through an underground parking lot th<strong>at</strong>’s known as a safe haven for beggars. “Joe knew them all by name,” Barba recalls. “It’s all in quiet moments like th<strong>at</strong>. It’s <strong>wh<strong>at</strong></strong> you do when the spect<strong>at</strong>ors <strong>and</strong> cameras <strong>are</strong>n’t there.” Story by Elaine Vitone, with photo by Mark Bolster www.alumni.buffalo.edu <strong>UB</strong>TODAY <strong>UB</strong>TODAY Winter Fall 2009 2008 29