Newcomers Dinner

The Very Rev. Tommy Dillon II

A Baton Rouge native, Fr. Tommy Dillon graduated from Louisiana State University with a dual degree in Religious Studies and Anthropology. He then received a Master of Divinity from Yale University; and Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School (affiliate of Yale). Fr Tommy moved to New York City to attend The General Theological Seminary, where he received a Master of Sacred Theology where he specialized in Anglican Liturgy. He was ordained deacon and priest at St. Luke’s Baton Rouge and served as Vicar of St. Augustine’s in Central City, LA for five years before serving 11 years on the West Coast as Rector of St. Aidan’s, San Francisco and Grace Church in Bainbridge Island, WA. He was called as Rector of St. Margaret's in September of 2016.

Tommy has over 20 years of experience as a parish pastor, including responsibility for pastoral care, program development, stewardship, and administration. During that time, Tommy became a leader in community engagement. He has a passion for helping people take ministry and spirit beyond the church walls and embrace new ways of being the church in a changing world.

Before moving to the West Coast, Tommy was the first Director of Prisoner Aftercare Services for the National Volunteers of America. Previously he worked with the Volunteer of America of Greater Baton Rouge for seven years in Mental Health and Homeless Services. He also served as Co-chair for Undoing Racism in the Diocese of Louisiana.

In the Diocese of California, Tommy served as a member of the Diocesan Executive Council, Diocesan Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, Nave Chaplain at Grace Cathedral, and a Spiritual Director for Cursillo. He also served as chaplain to the Diocesan Altar Guild, as a board member for Sojourn Chaplaincy at San Francisco General Hospital, and as chair of the Episcopal Bay Area Salvadoran Coalition.

In the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Tommy is Dean of the Baton Rouge Deanery, which is comprised of eighteen congregations and institutions in the Baton Rouge area, is the former chair of the Stewardship Working Group, is co-leader of the Transitions in Progress group (TIP) for newly ordained and new clergy in the diocese, Diocesan representative for Together Baton Rouge/Louisiana, Co-creator and co-leader of Inclusive Louisiana (LGBTQ+ Ministry in the Diocese of Louisiana) and is a Clergy Deputy for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church.

Tommy serves on the Boards of the Wild Goose Festival and the General Theological Seminary as Secretary and is a frequent retreat leader, pilgrimage planner, and an instructor of liturgy.

In Tommy’s world, there is no such thing as the “outcast and the stranger.” His work with newly-released prisoners, with people suffering mental illness and homelessness, and with Hurricane Katrina survivors gave him a fearless compassion for human need. During his time in ministry, parish food bank and elder ministries flourished; Diocesan, parish, and neighborhood Disaster Preparedness groups formed; and connections in El Salvador were created through the Anglican Church of El Salvador and Cristosal, a Human Rights organization located in El Salvador.

Collaborating to create beautiful liturgy feeds his soul. Good food, good friends, and road trips with his Whippet pal Josh reveal the Holy in the everyday world.