Early life and education

Michael Barber was born on July 13, 1954, in Salt Lake City, Utah. After attending Saint Pius X Preparatory School in Galt, California, Barber entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1973. He then attended Loyola Marymount University. Barber received a bachelor's degree in philosophy and history at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington in 1978. From 1982 to 1985, Barber studied sacred theology at Regis College at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario. In 1989, he obtained a Licentiate in Systematic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Ordination and ministry

Barber was ordained a priest by Archbishop John Quinn for the Society of Jesus on June 8, 1985. He made his final vows in 2005. After his ordination, Barber he held the following positions:

• Missionary in Apia, Western Samoa (1985-1987)
• Assistant professor at the Gregorian University (1990-1991)
• Tutor and chaplain at the University of Oxford in England and bursar of the Jesuit community at Campion Hall at Oxford (1992-1998)
• Director of the School of Pastoral Leadership for the archdiocese 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, California (2002-2010)

In 1991, Barber became a chaplain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, achieving the rank of captain. He 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.^[1] In 2010, Barber became the director of spiritual formation at Saint John's Seminary in the Archdiocese of Boston.

Bishop of Oakland

On May 3, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Barber as bishop of the Diocese of Oakland. He was consecrated by Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone on May 25, 2013. Barber was the first American bishop appointed by Pope Francis.^[2] Besides English, Barber speaks Italian, French, Samoan, liturgical Spanish and Latin.^[1][3]

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.^[4][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] 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.^[7]