Michael C. Barber

After attending Saint Pius X Preparatory School in Galt, California, Barber entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1973. After beginning his studies at Loyola Marymount University, he received his BA in Philosophy and History at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington in 1978. From 1982 to 1985 he studied sacred theology at Regis College at the University of Toronto. In 1989, he obtained a licentiate in systematic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Barber was ordained a priest for the Society of Jesus on June 8, 1985. He made his final vows in 2005. After ordination he held the following positions: missionary in Apia, Western Samoa (1985-1987), assistant professor at the Gregorianum (1990-1991); tutor and chaplain at the University of Oxford in England and bursar of the Jesuit community at Campion Hall (1992-1998), director of the School of Pastoral Leadership for the Archdiocese of San Francisco (California) with residence at Saint Agnes Parish, and then, at the Saint Ignatius College in San Francisco (1998-2001); professor and spiritual director at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park (2002-2010). Since 1991 he is also a chaplain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, achieving the rank of captain. Barber had been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and was invested as a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and a Magistral Chaplain of the Order of Malta.[1]

In 2010 he became the director of Spiritual Formation at Saint John's Seminary in Brighton in the Archdiocese of Boston.

On May 3, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Barber as bishop of the Diocese of Oakland. He was consecrated and installed on May 25, 2013. Barber, who is a Jesuit, was the first American bishop appointed by Pope Francis, who is the first Jesuit pope.[2]

Besides English, he speaks Italian, French, Samoan, liturgical Spanish and Latin.[1][3]

Parishioners were upset over his conservative leanings and that he ordered the replacement of two priests,[4] one of whom publicly identifies as gay while remaining celibate.[5]

In 2019, Barber positioned himself against the proposed California State Senate Bill 360, which would require 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.".[6]