Anthony Freeman (brother)

Anthony Joseph Freeman, L.C. (July 23, 1988 – April 2, 2018) was an American writer and religious brother. He is noted for his spiritual book, One Step Closer: 40 Doses of Motivation, Hacks, and Experiences to Share with Millennial Catholics, which became widely read in the Catholic Church.[1][2]

Brother

Anthony Freeman

L.C.
Born(1988-07-23)July 23, 1988
Houma, Louisiana, United States
DiedApril 2, 2018(2018-04-02) (aged 29)
Rome, Italy
OccupationReligious and Writer
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
GenreMotivational/Spiritual
Notable worksOne Step Closer: 40 Doses of Motivation, Hacks, and Experiences to Share with Millennial Catholics

Biography

Anthony Freeman was born on July 23, 1988 in Houma, Louisiana to Brian and Debbie Freeman (née Lirette). His parents were devout Catholics who were active in church activities. He spent his childhood years studying at the East Thibodaux Middle School where he graduated in 2002. From 2002 to 2005, he became a student in the Legionary Minor Seminaries in Center Harbor, New Hampshire and in Colfax, California. He was known to be a diligent and cheerful boy to his professors.[3]

After a series of vocation discernment, he entered the Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Cheshire, Connecticut on 2005, and made his first profession of vows on September 2, 2007. During his apostolic internship, he collaborated with the congregation's vocation promotion and institutional development efforts. He studied one year of liberal arts in Salamanca, Spain and completed his bachelor's degree in philosophy in Thornwood, New York. He obtained a licentiate degree in philosophy and a degree in theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. On August 10, 2013, he made his final profession of vows and on February 26, 2017 received the ministry of acolytes.[3]

On April 2, 2018, his fellow confreres found him dead in his room. Mayo Clinic declared, after conducting an autopsy, that the cause of his death was due to a dilated cardiomyopathy.[4][5] On the day he died, he had just finished an eight-day silent retreat in his community and had served the Easter Sunday Mass presided by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square.[6] Friends and colleagues are now putting up an effort to have him considered for beatification.[6]

One Step Closer

On January 23, 2018, Freeman published what would be his first and last book, One Step Closer: 40 Doses of Motivation, Hacks, and Experiences to Share with Millennial Catholics. Before he published his book, he first started doing motivational talks on his Instagram account purposely for millennial Catholics facing contemporary issues and spiritual problems.[7][1] Seeing the increasing number of followers on his account, he decided then to turn his motivational talks into writing. The moment it got published, it was widely acclaimed by people within the Catholic Church.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Br. Anthony Freeman, LC - Catholic Life Coach". branthonyfreeman.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  2. "One Step Closer: 40 Doses of Motivation, Hacks, and Experiences to Share with Millennial Catholics". Goodreads. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  3. "Remembering Br. Anthony Freeman: He had a long-term vision of what he wanted to do for Jesus". Catholic News World. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  4. Kathleen Hattrup (6 April 2018). "Autopsy results in for US seminarian who died after serving pope's Easter Mass". Aleteia. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. "American seminarian found dead in his room". Italian Insider. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. Carol Glatz (4 April 2018). "U.S. seminarian who carried cross at pope's Easter Mass dies in Rome". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  7. "Seminarian transforms Instagram account into motivational book". Rome Reports. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
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