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Members of the Thomas Aquinas College community are celebrating the ordination of a friend of the College, the Most Rev. Robert Barron, as the new bishop for its pastoral region in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, the Most Rev. José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles — joined by the most Rev. Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, and the Most Rev. Joseph M. Sartoris, retired Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles — ordained Bishop Barron at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Present at the joyful occasion were the Chairman of the College’s Board of Governors R. Scott Turicchi, President Michael F. McLean, and Dean Brian T. Kelly.

“It was an honor and a privilege to witness the ordination of Bishop Barron and the Archdiocese’s two other new bishops, the Most Rev. Joseph V. Brennan and the Most Rev. David G. O’Connell,” said Dr. McLean. “We are delighted that Bishop Barron is serving our pastoral region, and we look forward to working with him.”

The former president and rector of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary and founder of the Word on Fire media ministry, Bishop Barron delivered a lecture at Thomas Aquinas College in 2013, which he mentioned at the announcement of his appointment in July. “The Church of Los Angeles — the most populous in the United States — is energetic, diverse, and creative,” he said. “Over the years, I’ve visited many times. Most recently, I was in the Archdiocese for a lecture at Thomas Aquinas College.”

“Now that His Excellency is in the area, we hope he will visit often,” said Dr. McLean. “Through the tremendous reach of his Word on Fire ministry, and his beautiful work on the Catholicism video series, Bishop Barron has been a powerful voice for the Church in the world. We are excited to see what plans he has in store for our pastoral region, and we stand ready to aid him in any way we can.”