Why Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman recently joined Catholic Church
The University of Notre Dame’s roots, from an academic standpoint and a football perspective, lie in Catholicism. Head coach Marcus Freeman is continuing that time-honored tradition.
Always a devout Christian, Freeman recently converted to Catholicism. His wife, Joanna, and six kids were already Catholic. Freeman was received into the Catholic Church in Granger, Ind., earlier this month after preparing with Fr. Nate Wills, C.S.C., chaplain of the Notre Dame football team. Freeman was confirmed and received his First Holy Communion with Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., presiding over the Mass.
“It was a family decision and a personal decision,” Freeman said Thursday. “But obviously, when you’re the head coach at Notre Dame, nothing is private.”
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It’s never been a prerequisite for the Notre Dame football coach to be Catholic, but Catholicism has long been ingrained in the program’s culture. Freeman has put more of an emphasis on that in his short tenure. He brought back traditional pregame Mass, for instance. Players and coaches once again pray through a sermon in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame’s campus before walking to the stadium every Saturday. It occurred for the first time in years this past Saturday before the game against Marshall.
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Freeman said players wanting to opt out of Mass has not been an issue through two weeks of the season. Notre Dame also held pregame Mass in Columbus, Ohio, prior to taking on the Buckeyes in Week 1. Even though he is now Catholic, pregame Mass isn’t so much about the divine nature of it as much as it is about a unique, soothing way Notre Dame players can unite before leaving it all out on the field.
“For me, the mindset is really a calm before the storm,” Freeman said. “I want to make sure these guys are calm. Part of that is making sure we spend some time for reflection in Mass. Then coming over here, when the foot hits the ball, we’ll be ready to roll. But I really want to be at peace and be calm as we get ready to come to the stadium and embrace this place.”
Freeman is still searching for his first victory as Notre Dame’s head coach. He became the first head coach in program history to lose all three of his first games with the 26-21 upset defeat against Marshall. The Irish (0-2) take on the California Bears (2-0) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET at Notre Dame Stadium.
