Diocese of Des Moines Statement on Father Thakadipuram

October 22, 2025

On Monday, Oct. 20, Father Thomas Thakadipuram, a priest of the Diocese of Des Moines, entered into a plea agreement with the Page County Attorney on charges of theft from St. Mary Parish in Shenandoah. Pursuant to an Alford plea, he pled guilty to one count of theft, a class C felony, and received a sentence of 10 years of incarceration, which was suspended, and he was placed on three years’ probation. He also pled guilty to one count of theft, a serious misdemeanor, and received a 90-day prison sentence, all but 14 days of which were suspended with seven days given as credit for previous time served, as well as a fine of $430. He will serve concurrently three years’ probation on that count as well. Father Thakadipuram was also ordered to pay restitution to St. Mary Catholic Church in Shenandoah in the amount of $2,516.50.

Shortly after he was charged last February, Father Thakadipuram resigned his position as pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church, Shenandoah, and St. Mary Catholic Church, Hamburg.

Father Thakadipuram can still function as a priest. He was ordained in 1993 in India and was incardinated in the Diocese of Des Moines in 2017. His assignments included Corpus Christi Parish in Council Bluffs, and the parishes in Shenandoah and Hamburg.

Now that the judicial process is complete, the Diocese of Des Moines intends to conclude its preliminary investigation and seek justice in the canonical forum.