Bishop Daly appoints new rector, Bishop White Seminary

Rev. Lucas E. Tomson

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON—Most Rev. Thomas A. Daly, Bishop of Spokane, appoints Rev. Lucas E. Tomson as the rector of Bishop White Seminary in Spokane, effective July 1, 2025. The current rector, Very Rev. Daniel J. Barnett, will conclude his tenth year as rector next summer, celebrating his silver jubilee and be reassigned in the diocese. All new pastoral assignments, including Father Tomson’s replacement at St. Peter, will be announced in Spring 2025.

Bishop Daly thanks Father Barnett for his dedication to forming the next generation of priests and responding to the Holy Father’s call to establish a Propaedeutic Year program, Cor Christi. The program is now in its third year; its second in the new McGivney Hall building.

Father Tomson is a priest of the Diocese of Spokane. He was born and raised in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene metropolitan area and was ordained in 2007. After earning degrees in philosophy from Whitworth University (2002) and theology from The Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Urbe, the Angelicum (2006), he studied patristics at the Pontifical Patristic Institute, the Augustinianum (2007), where he earned his licentiate. Additionally, he earned his doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Lateran University (2019) with a dissertation on St. Augustine.

Father Tomson has served as parochial vicar of Assumption Parish and teacher at DeSales High School in Walla Walla (2007-2009), as well as parochial vicar of Assumption Parish in Spokane (2009-2010), pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Okanogan (2010-2015), and pastor of St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center and adjunct assistant professor of History at Washington State University in Pullman (2015-2019). He is currently the pastor of St. Peter parish in Spokane and a professor in patristics at Bishop White Seminary.

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