"The pope started laughing"

Remember these faces? At the election of B16? The guy on the right would be a seminarian, Joe Freedy, and does he have a story to tell - it's not everyone who does this:

Freedy became even more emotional when he was introduced to his hero after Mass in the papal library.

"I knelt in front of him and hadn't planned on saying anything. I just said, "I love you,' and he gave me a big smile and his blessing," Freedy said.

Humility later turned into embarrassment.

Pope John Paul II traditionally gave a rosary to everyone he met under such intimate circumstances. Freedy nervously took his from the table and stepped aside so a friend could enjoy the same opportunity. There was an awkward pause for some reason, and no rosary was claimed. So Freedy snatched another one.

"The pope looked at me like "What are you doing?' " Freedy said. "The bishops started laughing. The pope started laughing; "You just stole a rosary from the pope.' "

Freedy will forever cherish his brief interactions with Pope John Paul II, whose passing April 2 reverberated around the world.


(Oh, and what book was instrumental in his "Catholic reversion" in college? His dad's gift of Scott Hahn's "The Lamb's Supper." I know a few other families who might want to give that idea a try!)

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