Gerald Richard Barnes

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Gerald Richard Barnes
Bishop emeritus of San Bernardino
DioceseSan Bernardino
AppointedDecember 28, 1995
InstalledMarch 12, 1996
Term endedDecember 28, 2020
PredecessorPhillip Francis Straling
SuccessorAlberto Rojas
Orders
OrdinationDecember 20, 1975
ConsecrationMarch 18, 1992
by Phillip Francis Straling, Patrick Flores, and Curtis J. Guillory
Personal details
Born (1945-06-22) June 22, 1945 (age 76)
Phoenix, Arizona
NationalityAmerican
DenominationCatholic Church
Previous post(s)Auxiliary Bishop of San Bernardino (1992-1995)
Motto"Amar es entregarse"
"Love is a total gift of self"
Styles of
Gerald Richard Barnes
Coat of arms of Gerald Richard Barnes.svg
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Gerald Richard Barnes (born June 22, 1945) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino in California from 1996 to 2020 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of San Bernadino from 1992 to 1996.

On December 28, 2020, Pope Francis accepted Barnes' retirement resignation, replacing him with Bishop Alberto Rojas,

Biography[]

Gerald Barnes was born in Phoenix, Arizona, to George and Aurora Barnes. In 1946, the family moved to the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles The family opened a grocery store, where he and his siblings worked in their spare time.[1] Barnes attended public schools for his primary education, then graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles.[1]

Barnes entered California State University, Los Angeles, graduating in 1967 with a Bachelor of Political Science degree. He then attended seminaries in St. Louis, Missouri, Dayton, Ohio and Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Texas.

Priesthood[]

On December 20, 1975, Barnes was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of San Antonio by Archbishop Francis Furey. In 1989, he was named an honorary prelate with the title of Monsignor He also served as rector of Assumption Seminary.[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of San Bernadino[]

On January 28, 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Barnes as the first Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese of San Bernardino and Titular Bishop of Montefiascone. He was consecrated on March 18, 1992 by Bishop Philip Straling, with Archbishop Patrick Flores and Bishop Curtis Guillory serving as co-consecrators. Barnes selected as his episcopal motto: "Amar Es Entregarse", Spanish for "Love is a total gift of self".

With the installation of Bishop Phillip Straling as Bishop of the Diocese of Reno in June 1995, the Vatican named Barnes as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of San Bernadino.[1]

Bishop of San Bernadino[]

On December 28, 1995, John Paul II appointed Barnes as the second Bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino. He was installed on March 12, 1996. In his episcopal ministry, Barnes established the 4 Core Values and explained the diocesan vision.

Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Barnes chaired the Committee on Migration and Refugee Services.[when?] In that post, he described the "current immigration system" as responsible for "family separation, suffering, and even death" and "is morally unacceptable and must be reformed".[2] He chaired the Committee on Hispanic Affairs from 1996 to 1999.

Under Barnes, the Diocese operated three high schools, twenty-three elementary schools and three pre-schools. In 2001, Barnes inaugurated the Annual Bishop's Golf Classic to fund scholarships to families who are unable to afford a Catholic education for their children. During his tenure, Barnes closed four primary schools in Barstow, Banning, Apple Valley[3] and San Bernardino.[4] The high desert portion of the diocese has no Catholic schools

On April 3, 2003, the Diocese of San Bernadino filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Boston. The diocese charged that the archdiocese gave them false information on Paul R. Shanley, a priest who transferred to the diocese in 1990. Despite Shanley having a record of sexual abuse of minors in Massachusetts, the archdiocese described him to the diocese as "a priest in good standing. Later in 1990, Shanley was accused of abusing a teenager at a hotel in Palm Springs, California.[5] On July 6, 2003, after speaking to the new archbishop of Boston, Sean O'Malley, Barnes decided to drop the lawsuit.[6]

In 2007, the Government of Mexico presented Barnes with the Ohtli award for his service to Mexican citizens living in the United States.[1]In March 2014, Barnes, citing economic benefits and good citizenship, encouraged parishioners in the diocese without health insurance to sign up for Obamacare.[7][8]

Retirement[]

On June 22, 2020, his 75th birthday, Barnes submitted his letter of resignation as the Bishop of the Diocese of San Bernadino to Pope Francis. The Pope accepted it on December 28, at which point Coadjutor Bishop Alberto Rojas succeeded automatically to the office.[9]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Bishop Emeritus Gerald R. Barnes". Diocese of San Bernadino. Retrieved November 17, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ USCCB. Bishop Calls For Reform Of ‘Morally Unacceptable’ Immigration System July 27, 2007
  3. ^ Victor Valley Daily Press January 22, 2009
  4. ^ San Bernardino County Sun November 6, 2011
  5. ^ Sims, Calvin (April 3, 2003). "Boston Archdiocese Is Sued By San Bernardino Diocese". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  6. ^ ncs-import. "San Bernardino Diocese pulls complaint against Boston Archdiocese". www.nevadaappeal.com. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  7. ^ "Affordable Care Act" (PDF). Diocese of San Bernardino. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  8. ^ "Bishop urges faithful to sign up for Obamacare". Patheos. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  9. ^ "Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va. Retrieved December 28, 2020.

External links[]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of San Bernardino
1996–2020 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from ""