As Bishop of Spokane, my top priority is to form holy priests who will be strong spiritual leaders in our parishes. Established by my predecessor, Bishop Bernard Topel, Bishop White Seminary has been instrumental in the integral, initial formation of young men discerning the diocesan priesthood to serve the Church in the Western United States. Building upon this 66-year legacy of priestly formation,

 I recently launched the Cor Christi program in response to the Church’s call for a Propaedeutic Phase of seminary formation. Today, I am pleased to announce the leadership for Cor Christi and Bishop White Seminary.

I am appointing Fr. Daniel Barnett as the Rector of the Cor Christi program, while also remaining Rector of Bishop White. In addition, I am appointing Fr. Kyle Ratuiste as Vice-Rector and Dean of Men at Bishop White Seminary, while remaining Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Spokane. Fr. John Murphy, SJ will continue in his role as Coordinator of Spiritual Formation for both Bishop White and Cor Christi. Finally, I am also pleased to accept the retirement of Fr. Patrick Baraza from the office of Vice-Rector, who has served faithfully at Bishop White for many years. He has been a wise and steadfast guide for our seminarians, and will continue work as a Formation Advisor, even as he fulfills his other duties as Pastor and as professor at Gonzaga University.

I am very grateful to each of these men for their willingness to serve the Church. Please join me in praying for them and for the seminarians entrusted to their care, that the Lord will raise up more and holy priests with the Heart of Christ to shepherd you, God’s holy people.

Most Rev. Thomas A. Daly 

Read the official statement here.