Chaplain Barber our New Bishop

I was elated to hear that former Navy Chaplain Michael Barber, SJ was appointed as bishop of Oakland yesterday. Chaplain Barber was born July 13, 1954 in Salt Lake City.  He entered the Society of Jesus in 1973 and was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1985. His assignments have included assistant professor of theology at Gregorian University in Rome, researcher and tutor at Oxford University in England, director of the School of Pastoral Leadership in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, assistant professor of systematic and moral theology and spiritual director at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, director of spiritual formation at St. John’s in Boston, MA.  Chaplain Barber and I attended USF and served as chaplains together at the Middle East Forces Religious Unit in Alameda.  He attended my retirement from the Navy and my final vows.  He is the one on the far left in this picture of Navy chaplains taken at my retirement ceremony in 2005.  (I'm third one from the right)  I wish our new Bishop "fair winds and following seas" as he takes the helm at the Diocese of Oakland.  He is a good man, a brave man, and a great choice for our diocese!