Twelfth Provincial of Region, 1991-1997
William A. Barry was born November 22, 1930 to William and Catherine (McKenna) Barry in Worcester, MA. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1950 at Shadowbrook, Lenox, MA for two years of novitiate. Then he studied philosophy at Berchmanskolleg, Germany from 1953 until 1956 when he taught Latin, English, and German at Fairfield College Preparatory School, Fairfield, CT. In 1958, he studied psychology at Fordham University, NY. From 1959 until 1963, he was at Weston College, Weston, MA for studies in theology, where he also was ordained on June 16, 1962. His tertianship was at St. Robert’s Hall, Pomfret, CT from 1963 until 1964. He then attended the University of Michigan, earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 1968. In 1969, he taught psychology and clinical psychology at Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, MA and in 1971 was also named director for the Center for Religious Development, serving in both offices until 1978 when he was made Vice Provincial for Formation for the New England Province. From 1985 until 1988 he was the assistant director to novices for the Province. In 1988, he was named rector of Boston College, MA.
In 1991 he was named Provincial of the New England Province and served until 1997. Following that, he was named co-director of the Jesuit Tertianship Program & director of retreats at Campion Center, Weston, MA.