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:
- 108,687 estimated Catholics with a total population of 909,002, according to the 2020 Official Catholic Directory report. We estimate we serve 130,000 when including unregistered Hispanic families.
- 80 parishes
- 17 schools
- 51 active diocesan priests, and
- 4 Catholic hospitals
Bishop William Joensen is our shepherd.
Retired bishops are: Bishop Richard Pates and Bishop Joseph L. Charron, C.PP.S.
Our diocesan 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