About Us
The Diocese of Des Moines, created in 1911, serves people over a 12,446 square mile area in the southwestern quadrant of Iowa, including 23 counties.
The Diocese of Des Moines is comprised of:
- 108,581 estimated Catholics with a total population of 876,785, according to the 2017 Kenedy report. We estimate we serve 130,000 when including unregistered Hispanic families.
- 80 parishes
- 17 schools
- 60 active diocesan priests, and
- 3 Catholic hospitals
Bishop Richard Pates is the shepherd of the diocese, having been appointed in 2008.
His priorities are:
- Meeting the needs of newcomers, particularly Hispanic Catholics
- Growing vocations, particularly to the priesthood
- Encouraging people to understand and support evangelization
- Serving youth and young adults, particularly millennials
- Marriage and family life