Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Des Moines is the Roman Catholic diocese
for the southwestern quarter of the state of Iowa
.
Dioecesis Desmoinensis is the Latin
title of the diocese, and the Diocese of Des Moines is the corporate title of the diocese. The Cathedral
parish for the Diocese is St. Ambrose's Cathedral
. The Bishop of Des Moines is currently Bishop Richard E. Pates. On April 10, one year to the day after the retirement of Bishop Joseph L. Charron, who is a member of the Society of Precious Blood, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Bishop Pates to the position. Charron resigned in April 2007 due to health reasons. Bishop Pates was installed on May 29, 2008 at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.
. It was under his jurisdiction that the first permanent Catholic presence came to what would be the state of Iowa.
In 1838, the Diocese of Dubuque was founded. Initially the area of the Dubuque Diocese included all of Iowa, as well as a large part of the western United States. By 1850 the Diocese's territory came to cover the state of Iowa. Bishop John Hennessey soon came to believe that the southern half of the state would be better served by its own Diocese. While he envisioned Des Moines as the See City for this new Diocese, on June 14, 1881 the southern half of Iowa was taken from the Dubuque Diocese, and formed into the new Diocese of Davenport. For just over 30 years the area that now makes up the Des Moines Diocese was part of the Diocese of Davenport.
Territory was then taken from the Diocese of Davenport on August 12, 1911 to form the Diocese of Des Moines. The territory that was taken to form the Davenport Diocese is the current territory of the Diocese. When the Des Moines Diocese was established, Saint Ambrose Parish became the Cathedral
parish for the new Diocese.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
for the southwestern quarter of the state of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Dioecesis Desmoinensis is the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
title of the diocese, and the Diocese of Des Moines is the corporate title of the diocese. The Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
parish for the Diocese is St. Ambrose's Cathedral
St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines)
St. Ambrose Cathedral is the cathedral parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines, and is located at 607 High Street in Des Moines, Iowa in the center of the city. The facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St...
. The Bishop of Des Moines is currently Bishop Richard E. Pates. On April 10, one year to the day after the retirement of Bishop Joseph L. Charron, who is a member of the Society of Precious Blood, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Bishop Pates to the position. Charron resigned in April 2007 due to health reasons. Bishop Pates was installed on May 29, 2008 at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.
History
Like other American dioceses, the area that makes up the present diocese was under the jurisdiction of a number of prelates. Most of these were purely academic because of no actual Catholic presence in the area. In the 19th century, the area came under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Saint Louis Joseph RosatiJoseph Rosati
Joseph Rosati was a U.S. Catholic bishop. He served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Louis between 1826 and 1843....
. It was under his jurisdiction that the first permanent Catholic presence came to what would be the state of Iowa.
In 1838, the Diocese of Dubuque was founded. Initially the area of the Dubuque Diocese included all of Iowa, as well as a large part of the western United States. By 1850 the Diocese's territory came to cover the state of Iowa. Bishop John Hennessey soon came to believe that the southern half of the state would be better served by its own Diocese. While he envisioned Des Moines as the See City for this new Diocese, on June 14, 1881 the southern half of Iowa was taken from the Dubuque Diocese, and formed into the new Diocese of Davenport. For just over 30 years the area that now makes up the Des Moines Diocese was part of the Diocese of Davenport.
Territory was then taken from the Diocese of Davenport on August 12, 1911 to form the Diocese of Des Moines. The territory that was taken to form the Davenport Diocese is the current territory of the Diocese. When the Des Moines Diocese was established, Saint Ambrose Parish became the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
parish for the new Diocese.
Ordinaries of the Diocese
The following men have served as Bishops of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines. Their dates of service are also included.- Austin DowlingAustin DowlingAustin Dowling was the second Archbishop and fourth bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. He was appointed on January 31, 1919 and held the office to his death...
- January 31, 1912 - January 31, 1919 (Reassigned as Archbishop of Saint Paul) - Thomas William DrummThomas William DrummThomas William Drumm was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Des Moines from 1919 until his death in 1933.-Biography:...
- March 28, 1919 - 24 October 1933 (His death) - Gerald Thomas BerganGerald Thomas Bergan-References:...
- March 24, 1934 - February 7, 1948 (Reassigned as the Archbishop of Omaha) - Edward Celestin DalyEdward Celestin DalyEdward Celestin Daly, O.P. was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Des Moines from 1948 until his death in 1964.-Biography:...
, O.P. - March 13, 1948 - November 23, 1964 (His Death) - George BiskupGeorge BiskupGeorge Biskup was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Des Moines, Iowa and Archbishop of Indianapolis .-Biography:...
- January 30, 1965 - July 20, 1967 (Reassigned as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Indianapolis) - Maurice John DingmanMaurice John DingmanMaurice John Dingman was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Des Moines from 1968 to 1986.-Early life & Ministry:...
- April 2, 1968 - October 14, 1986 (His retirement) - William Henry BullockWilliam Henry BullockWilliam Henry Bullock was an American Roman Catholic churchman. At the time of his death, he was Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Madison....
- February 10, 1987 - April 13, 1993 (Reassigned as the Bishop of Madison) - Joseph Leo CharronJoseph CharronJoseph Leo Charron, C.PP.S. is Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Des Moines in the United States state of Iowa.Charron was born in Redfield, South Dakota on December 30, 1939. He is one of eight children....
, C.PP.S. - November 12, 1993 - April 10, 2007 (Resigned) - Richard Pates (10 April 2008–present)
Diocesan Priests who became Bishops
- John Joseph Boylan, Bishop of RockfordRoman Catholic Diocese of RockfordThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern Illinois region of the United States. The prelate is a bishop serving as pastor of the motherchurch, the Cathedral of Saint Peter in the City of Rockford...
High schools
- Dowling Catholic High SchoolDowling Catholic High SchoolDowling Catholic High School is a Catholic secondary school in West Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines.-Background:...
, West Des Moines - Saint Albert High SchoolSaint Albert High School (Council Bluffs, Iowa)Saint Albert High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It is part of a chain of private schools going from Prekindergarten through 12th Grade. Saint Albert's Mascot is a falcon for the boys, while the girls are known as the saintes. It is located in the Roman...
, Council Bluffs