James Darcy Freeman

Sir James Darcy Freeman, KBE (19 November 1907 – 16 March 1991) was an Australian cardinal and the 6th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney and Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria "Regina Pacis" in Ostia. He was ordained a priest of the Sydney Archdiocese on 13 July 1940, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney on 9 December 1956 and ordained Titular Bishop of Hermopolis. In 1971 he was elevated to the cardinalate.

Early Life and Priesthood
Born 19 November 1907, Annandale, New South Wales to Robert Freeman, a tramway driver and his wife Margaret Smith. He was educated at the Sisters of Charity, Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales, and the Christian Brothers High School at St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney where he was regarded as a good student who enjoyed literature, music and sport. He was able to obtain special permission from Rome to be ordained a priest at the age of 22. He attended Seminary at St Columba's, Springwood and St Patrick's College, Manly and was ordained on 13 July 1930 by Archbishop Bartolomeo Cattaneo and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Sydney. He then served as an Assistant Priest at Grafton, Murwillumbah, Strathfield, Mosman and St Mary's Cathedral. Following that he became the Private Secretary to the Cardinal 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.

Ordination as Bishop
Elected Bishop of Hermopolis in partibus infidelium and auxiliary of Sydney on 9 December 1956. He was consecrated on 24 January, 1957 at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney by Cardinal Sir Norman Gilroy and later translated to Armidale as Bishop 18 October 1969, he was promoted to Archbishop of Sydney on 9 July 1971.

Appointment as Cardinal
He was made Cardinal Priest of the Title of Our Lady of Peace of Ostia, 5 March 1973, on the retirement of Norman Thomas Gilroy. He received the Knight Commander of the British Empire in 1977.

Retirement and Death
He retired as Archbishop of Sydney, Australia on 12 February, 1983, to St John, Vianney Villa, Randwick, New South Wales. He died on 16 March 1991, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney at the age of 83 and is buried in Crypt at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney.

Legacy
He is the Patron of the Freeman Catholic College at Bonnyrigg Heights, New South Wales, which opened in 1985 and has a student population of 1220 and a teaching and support staff of 114. In 1987 The Cardinal Freeman Centre was established at Granville, New South Wales as part of the St Vincent de Paul Society to provide accommodation and support for the homeless men in the Greater West area of Sydney who have been affected by Drug and Alcohol related problems. The Cardinal Freeman Village in Ashfield, New South Wales is a Retirement Home providing accommodation to 380 people.