Des Moines (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

William Michael Joensen, Bishop
Joseph Leo Charron, C.Pp.S., Bishop Emeritus
Richard Edmund Pates, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 12 August 1911
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Dubuque
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Iowa
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 32,235 (12,450 Square Miles)
Conference Region: IX (IA, KS, MO, NE)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: DM
Official Web Site: https://www.dmdiocese.org
Mailing Address: 601 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Telephone: (515)243-7653
Fax: 237-5071

Past and Present Ordinaries

Austin Dowling † (31 Jan 1912 Appointed - 10 Mar 1919 Appointed, Archbishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota)
Thomas William Drumm † (28 Mar 1919 Appointed - 24 Oct 1933 Died)
Gerald Thomas Bergan † (24 Mar 1934 Appointed - 7 Feb 1948 Appointed, Archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska)
Edward Celestin Daly, O.P. † (13 Mar 1948 Appointed - 23 Nov 1964 Died)
George Joseph Biskup † (30 Jan 1965 Appointed - 20 Jul 1967 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Indianapolis, Indiana)
Maurice John Dingman † (2 Apr 1968 Appointed - 14 Oct 1986 Resigned)
William Henry Bullock † (10 Feb 1987 Appointed - 13 Apr 1993 Appointed, Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin)
Joseph Leo Charron, C.Pp.S. (12 Nov 1993 Appointed - 10 Apr 2007 Resigned)
Richard Edmund Pates (10 Apr 2008 Appointed - 18 Jul 2019 Retired)
William Michael Joensen (18 Jul 2019 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
12 August 1911	Erected	Diocese of Davenport (Harrison, Polk, Warren, Clarke, Binggold, Shelby, Gass, Mills, Lucas, Decatur, Audubon, Pottawattamie, Montgomery, Fremont, Wayne, Guthrie, Adair, Adams, Page, Dallas, Madison, Union, and Taylor)	Diocese of Des Moines (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 48,053 598,551 8.0% 113 21 134 358 33 322 67 ap1951

1966 78,576 630,890 12.5% 140 9 149 527 6 323 95 ap1967

1970 80,530 631,111 12.8% 125 8 133 605 9 251 70 ap1971

1976 78,813 626,000 12.6% 119 7 126 625 15 7 210 88 ap1977

1980 80,427 634,000 12.7% 121 3 124 648 16 3 205 84 ap1981

1990 93,779 689,000 13.6% 108 3 111 844 42 4 160 85 ap1991

1999 99,224 671,091 14.8% 114 10 124 800 61 4 113 87 ap2000

2000 95,596 671,091 14.2% 112 8 120 796 61 13 106 85 ap2001

2001 95,263 671,091 14.2% 101 9 110 866 62 14 106 86 ap2002

2002 97,306 671,091 14.5% 98 11 109 892 73 17 102 85 ap2003

2003 100,825 742,190 13.6% 95 11 106 951 73 14 91 83 ap2004

2004 97,628 748,153 13.0% 89 11 100 976 70 16 91 84 ap2005

2006 91,347 742,190 12.3% 83 10 93 982 58 13 81 82 ap2007

2013 103,430 837,773 12.3% 85 6 91 1,136 85 6 50 81 ap2014

2016 113,797 861,033 13.2% 93 6 99 1,149 90 6 55 80 ap2017

2019 110,350 898,915 12.3% 103 6 109 1,012 105 6 48 80 ap2020

2021 154,150 904,037 17.1% 97 6 103 1,496 105 6 42 80 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	48,053	598,551	8.0%	113	21	134	358		33	322	67	ap1951
1966	78,576	630,890	12.5%	140	9	149	527		6	323	95	ap1967
1970	80,530	631,111	12.8%	125	8	133	605		9	251	70	ap1971
1976	78,813	626,000	12.6%	119	7	126	625	15	7	210	88	ap1977
1980	80,427	634,000	12.7%	121	3	124	648	16	3	205	84	ap1981
1990	93,779	689,000	13.6%	108	3	111	844	42	4	160	85	ap1991
1999	99,224	671,091	14.8%	114	10	124	800	61	4	113	87	ap2000
2000	95,596	671,091	14.2%	112	8	120	796	61	13	106	85	ap2001
2001	95,263	671,091	14.2%	101	9	110	866	62	14	106	86	ap2002
2002	97,306	671,091	14.5%	98	11	109	892	73	17	102	85	ap2003
2003	100,825	742,190	13.6%	95	11	106	951	73	14	91	83	ap2004
2004	97,628	748,153	13.0%	89	11	100	976	70	16	91	84	ap2005
2006	91,347	742,190	12.3%	83	10	93	982	58	13	81	82	ap2007
2013	103,430	837,773	12.3%	85	6	91	1,136	85	6	50	81	ap2014
2016	113,797	861,033	13.2%	93	6	99	1,149	90	6	55	80	ap2017
2019	110,350	898,915	12.3%	103	6	109	1,012	105	6	48	80	ap2020
2021	154,150	904,037	17.1%	97	6	103	1,496	105	6	42	80	ap2022