The Right Reverend Robert (Rob) J.
O’Neill grew up in Sierra Madre,
California, a small town tucked into the
foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, just
outside of Los Angeles. His father,
grandfather, and great-grandmother were
all born in Colorado.
Bishop O’Neill was ordained a transitional
Deacon in June 1982 and ordained Priest
in December 1982 at Saint John’s
Cathedral, Denver.
He served ten years at Saint John’s
Cathedral, Denver as Canon Educator and
designed and implemented a comprehensive educational program for adults,
teenagers, and children.
Following his time at the Cathedral, he was Rector of the Parish of the
Epiphany in Winchester, Massachusetts.
He has been very involved in the work of El Hogar Projects in Honduras—a
ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras that feeds, clothes, and
educates some 200 abandoned, orphaned, and hopeless poor boys. He has
co-authored Focus on Luke: Twelve Studies for Individual and Community
Enrichment, published by Living the Good News, Inc.
Since being consecrated bishop of the diocese of Colorado in October 2003,
he has served the National Church on the Presiding Bishop’s Council of
Advice, The Committee on Pastoral Development (ongoing), the Commission
on Impaired Leadership (new in fall 2015) and served as Chair of the Board
for Episcopal Relief and Development from 2009-2014. During his tenure as
bishop, the following programs have been established in Colorado and are
flourishing: Congregational Development, Episcopal Service Corps, Jubilee
Ministries, Disaster Preparedness and Recovery. He created a Task Force to
find a new camp and conference centre for the diocese, resulting in the
purchase of Cathedral Ridge in Woodland Park. A diocesan wide capital
campaign is ongoing to enable the development and expansion of Cathedral
Ridge.
Bishop O’Neill received his B.A. from Texas Christian University and his
M.Div. from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University. He is married to
Virginia (Ginger). They have four grown children and two grandchildren.
14