Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro was born on Oct. 22, 1947 in Montevideo, Uruguay, to a family of Spanish and French descent. In 1973, he graduated from Law School in Montevideo and then entered the Uruguayan Foreign Service.
The then Mr. Barreiro entered St. Joseph's Seminary at Dunwoodie and was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York on Nov. 14, 1987. From the beginning of his priestly ministry, Monsignor Barreiro was involved in the Pro-Life and Traditional Latin Mass apostolates. He did his licentiate and doctorate degree in Systematic Theology at the University of the Holy Cross, in Rome, Italy. For a period of time in the 1990s, Fr. Barreiro served in the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
Since September 1998, Msgr. Barreiro has been the Director of the Rome office of Human Life International. There, he started an apostolate with priests and seminarians from all over the world who are studying in the Eternal City. He has published articles on theological and life issues, and historical subjects. He was appointed a Chaplain of His Holiness on March 26, 2004. 

A Fundamental Liturgical Law

First Appeared in Inside the Vatican August/September 2007

The Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum, given as a muto proprio by Benedict XVI and promulgated on July 7, is a fundamental liturgical law that provides for the active preservation of the litugical treasure of the Church.  It confirms the historical fact that the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued in 1962 by Bl. John XXIII has never ben abrogated.  As a consequence it recognizes that the use of this Missal is perfectly licit and establishes the juridical conditions for its use and the ritual for the sacraments that was contemporary to this Missal.  msgr_ignacio_a_fundamental_liturgical_law.pdf 654 kb

Be Prepared to Tech with Courage

First Appeared in Inside the Vatican March 2007

A talk with one of Rome's mist influential traditional priests, Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro, direct of the Rome office of Human Life International.  Monsignor Barreiro, your office is situated a stone's throw from the Holy See.  Does your work bring you into special contact with the various Congregations of the Roman Curia?  msgr_ignacio_be_prepared_to_teach_with_courage.pdf 1.07 mb

Pro-Life Introduction to Pope Benedict XVI
Used with permission from Dave's Digest #8: April 28, 2005

Christ has granted us a new vicar on Earth, a pastor who would lead His Church with a firm commitment to preach the only truth that saves and defends life and family in accordance with the loving plan of the Creator. He is a man that has a profound prayer life. I was deeply moved as I contemplated him kneeling in prayer on Monday April 25th in front of the tomb of St. Paul at the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls in Rome. Already in his youth in 1953 when he obtained a doctorate in theology with a thesis entitled: "The People and House of God in St. Augustine's doctrine of the Church", we can see his concern with the family because seeing the Church as the House of God, leads to the very ancient view of the Church as the Family of God.   Read More...

Blessed Karl of Austria
October 2004

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit:

In this solemn Mass we raise our gratitude to Christ the King and to the Holy Father for the beatification of the Emperor Karl of Austria. His name is joined to the long column of Holy Kings and Queens, Saints as Louis King of France, Saint Ferdinand of Castile and Saint Henry the Emperor that have led Christianity.  Read More...

The Catholic View of Biomedical Research
March 2003

The Pontifical Academy for Life held its Ninth General Assembly at the Vatican from the 24th to the 26th of February. The topic addressed in this session by the Academy was biomedical research from the perspective of reason illuminated by Faith. Man by his God-given nature is a searcher of the truth. In this search he can achieve increased knowledge and put it to the service of society. As Pope John Paul II stated, "It is a recognized fact that the improvements in the medical treatment of disease primarily depend on progress in research."   Read More...