Michael C. Barber

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.

Early life and education
Michael Barber was born on July 13, 1954, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended Saint Pius X Preparatory School in Galt, California.

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.

Ordination and ministry
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. 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. In 1991, Barber enlisted as a chaplain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, achieving the rank of captain.

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.

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.

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

Bishop of Oakland
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 bishop appointed by Francis. Besides English, Barber speaks Italian, French, Samoan, liturgical Spanish and Latin.

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.

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." 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.

Honors
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.