He was in third grade when he first fell in love with the Mass.
Msgr. Walter Barrett said he felt “transcended” by the sanctity of the sacraments and the echoing sounds of Latin that permeated the church. He was drawn to the sacrifice and service of the clergy, and by middle school, he knew he wanted to become a priest.
His father had dreams of him becoming a doctor or a lawyer. His mother simply wanted grandchildren. But they both supported him as he walked a very different path. He entered a high school seminary and was ordained a decade later in 1975, the second Black priest in the Diocese of Richmond.
Fifty years have passed since then, but Msgr. Barrett’s love for the Church still burns brightly. He celebrated his 50th anniversary in May after retiring in 2022 at the age of 75.
‘All in this together’
Msgr. Barrett grew up in the segregated South, where people were separated even in church. Seminary, though, was integrated, and it quickly changed his view of the world and of the Church.
“I began to experience white ethnicity,” he said. “By that, I mean being raised in the Black community, where people are either white or Black. But in seminary, my classmates identified themselves as Irish or Italian or Polish, not just white. As a result of that, I didn’t feel as much of a minority. I began to see how diverse the Church really was.”
Msgr. Barrett’s first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Norfolk, in 1975. For two years, Msgr. Barrett immersed himself in the life of the busy parish. In addition to celebrating Mass, he also took Communion to nursing homes, hospitals, the homebound, and the city jail. No matter the person, Msgr. Barrett’s message to them was the same.
“My goal is to get people involved in the life of the Church,” he said. “We’re all in this together. Being a disciple of Christ is not just the job of the priest, but of all the baptized.”
Years later, at the urging of then-Bishop Walter F. Sullivan, Msgr. Barrett petitioned Pope John Paul II to designate St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception a minor basilica. It was a long process, but after submitting various reports and lobbying the community, the church was named a minor basilica in 1991. It is the only predominantly African American basilica in the country.
Msgr. Barrett would go on to serve at Holy Rosary, Richmond; St. Gerard, Roanoke; St. Joseph, Hampton; and St. Mary Star of the Sea, Fort Monroe. After he retired, he served as the interim director for the diocesan Office for Black Catholics.
‘Priests need priests’
Msgr. Mark Lane has known Msgr. Barrett since they were both in seminary together. They forged a fast friendship that has lasted more than five decades.
“The word that sums him up for me is ‘constant,’” shared Msgr. Lane. “He has been constant in his love for Christ, in his ministry in the Church, and in sharing his spiritual life with others.”
He has also been constant in friendship, with Msgr. Barrett serving as deacon at Msgr. Lane’s first Mass, and Msgr. Lane later recommending him to be an episcopal vicar for former Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo.
A large focus of Msgr. Barrett’s ministry has been dedicated to supporting other clergy members. In 1976, he and others founded a support group for priests in the diocese.
“Priests need priests,” he explained. “We are not ordained to become independent contractors, but co-workers with the bishop and collaborators with our brother priests serving in the diocese.”
“Enjoying the fellowship of brother priests in a relaxed environment, sharing our joys and pains, the emotional ups and downs which come with the ministry, enables a priest to better serve his community,” he continued. “The shared insights and wisdom, our collective concerns, I found priceless.”
Msgr. Thomas Miller was another founding member of the group. He was struck by how easy it was for Msgr. Barrett to connect with people of different backgrounds and how priests of all ages looked to him as a mentor.
“I have enormous respect for his integrity and real dedication to his ministry,” Msgr. Miller said. “He has been a very important figure in the life of our diocese and is deeply loved and admired by all.”
Father Michael G. Boehling, vicar general, remembers the impact Msgr. Barrett had on him and others. “I was always impressed by his ability to help young men not only hear the voice of the Lord in their lives, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to respond with joy,” said Father Boehling.
“I always believed that Msgr. Barrett faithfully lived the joyful life that these young men were seeking – and it was contagious,” he added.
Over the past half-century, Msgr. Barrett has witnessed countless moments in the Catholic Church. But one thing he never thought he would see was the election of an American pope.
“I love him!” he exclaimed. “The papacy is the face of the Catholic Church. It makes a profound difference on how people feel about us Catholics. With the new pope, I think it creates renewed interest in our country about the Catholic faith. I think it’s God’s way of saying to us that he’s real and he’s alive and he will do new and wonderful things for this country.”
Looking to the future, Msgr. Barrett is confident the next generation will succeed, as long as they have the support of one another, and never forget they always have the support of God.
“A big challenge for priests is the expectations. There’s an unconscious expectation that a priest is a good councilor, good speaker, and a wealth of endless knowledge who’s available 24/7,” he said.
“I pray for my brother priests because with the growing demands of priests, I ask myself, how in God’s name did I deal with all of that? Looking back in the rearview mirror, I can see it wasn’t me, it was God, taking care of his Church all along,” said Msgr. Barrett.