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Michael C. Barber

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Michael Charles Barber

SJ
Bishop of Oakland
Bishop Barber in 2020
ChurchCatholic Church
DioceseOakland
AppointedMay 3, 2013
InstalledMay 25, 2013
PredecessorSalvatore Cordileone
Orders
OrdinationJune 8, 1985
by John Raphael Quinn
ConsecrationMay 25, 2013
by Salvatore J. Cordileone, Carlos Arthur Sevilla, Thomas Anthony Daly
Personal details
Born (1954-07-13) July 13, 1954 (age 70)
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
DenominationCatholic
ParentsAdlai and Dolores Barber
MottoDeus misericordiarum pater
(God the father of mercies)
Styles of
Michael Charles Barber
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Michael Charles Barber, SJ (born July 13, 1954) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Oakland in California since 2013.

Biography

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Early life and education

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Michael Barber was born on July 13, 1954, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended Saint Pius X Preparatory School in Galt, California.[1]

After finishing high school, Barber decided to become a priest; he entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuit) novitiate in 1973. He then attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. To continue his education, Barber travelled to Spokane, Washington, to attend Gonzaga University. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and history from Gonzaga in 1978.

Barber in 1982 entered Regis College at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, where he received Master of Divinity and Bachelor of Sacred Theology degrees in 1985. [2]

Ordination and ministry

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Barber was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco by Archbishop John Quinn for the Jesuits on June 8, 1985.[3] After his ordination, the Jesuits sent Barber to Apia in Western Samoa to serve as a missionary for two years.

After leaving Samoa, Barber went to Rome to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He received a Licentiate in Systematic Theology from the Gregorian in 1989. From 1990 to 1991, he served as an assistant professor at the university. [1]In 1991, Barber enlisted as a chaplain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, achieving the rank of captain.[2]

The Jesuits sent Barber in 1992 to the United Kingdom to serve as a tutor and chaplain at the University of Oxford. During his six years in Oxford, Barber also worked as bursar of the Jesuit community at Campion Hall.[2]

Barber returned to San Francisco in 1998 after being named director of the School of Pastoral Leadership, with residence first at Saint Agnes Parish and then at Saint Ignatius College in San Francisco. In 2002, Barber was named as a professor and spiritual director at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California. He made his final vows to the Jesuits in 2005.[2]

In 2010, after eight years at St. Patrick's Seminary, Barber was appointed director of spiritual formation at Saint John's Seminary in Boston.[2]

Bishop of Oakland

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On May 3, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Barber as bishop of Oakland. He was consecrated by Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone on May 25, 2013. Barber was the first American jesuit bishop appointed by Francis.[4][3] Besides English, Barber speaks Italian, French, Samoan, liturgical Spanish and Latin.[5]

In March, 2014, Barber transferred two pastors, one of whom was openly gay, from Newman Hall Holy Spirit Parish in Berkeley, California. Barber refused to provide any explanation to the pastors or to unhappy parishioners for the transfers.[6][7]

In 2019, Barber opposed the proposed California State Senate Bill 360, which would have required priests to break the seal of confession and report sexual abuse of minors. He was quoted "I will go to jail before I will obey this attack on our religious freedom."[8] As of 2021, the motu proprio Traditionis custodes restricts the celebration of the Tridentine Mass. On July 18, 2021, Barber approved the continued use of the Traditional Rite according to the 1962 missal in the Diocese of Oakland.[9]

Honors

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Barbert received the Meritorious Service Medal from the Navy and was invested as a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and a magistral chaplain of the Order of Malta.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About Bishop Barber". Diocese of Oakland CA. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Pope Names Jesuit To Head Diocese Of Oakland, California". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  3. ^ a b "Bishop Michael Charles Barber [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  4. ^ Frawley Desmond, Joan (May 28, 2013). "Bishop Barber: First Jesuit Appointed Bishop by a Jesuit Pope". National Catholic Register. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "NOMINA DEL VESCOVO DI OAKLAND (U.S.A.)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-05-09.
  6. ^ Levin, Sam (March 11, 2014). "Bishop Michael Barber Speaks Out on Changes at Berkeley's Newman Hall". East Bay Express. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  7. ^ Levin, Sam (March 5, 2014). "Gay Priest Ousted by Conservative Bishop". East Bay Express. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Morris, Emily (2019-05-27). ""I will go to jail before I will obey"". California Catholic Daily. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  9. ^ "Bishop Barber approves continued use of Traditional Latin Mass". Diocese of Oakland CA. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  10. ^ "Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ".
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Episcopal succession

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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Oakland
2013–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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