Gerald Richard Barnes

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

Barnes was named the second Bishop of San Bernardino on December 28, 1995 and installed on March 12, 1996. In his episcopal ministry, Bishop Barnes established the 4 Core Values and explained the diocesan vision.

Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Barnes chairs the Committee on Migration and Refugee Services. 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".[1] He chaired the Committee on Hispanic Affairs from 1996 to 1999.

Under Barnes, the Diocese of San Bernardino operates 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, he closed four of the diocese's elementary schools: those in Barstow, Banning, Apple Valley[2] and San Bernardino.[3] The high desert portion of the diocese has no Catholic schools.

In March 2014, Barnes, citing economic benefits and good citizenship, encouraged the faithful to sign up for insurance under Obamacare.[4][5]

Barnes submitted his resignation to the Holy See on his 75th birthday, June 22, 2020, and it was accepted on December 28, at which point Rojas succeeded automatically to the office.[6]