Father William Joensen appointed as bishop-elect of Des Moines

Father William Joensen, Ph,D., was appointed today by Pope Francis to succeed Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines. Bishop-elect Joensen, 59, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque and a professor of philosophy at Loras College. He grew up in Ames.

During a news conference held earlier today, Bishop-elect Joensen said, “I’m an Iowa guy … I’ve always wanted to spend my life here serving the people.”

Bishop-elect Joensen’s installation Mass is scheduled for Sept. 27 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in West Des Moines. Bishop Pates will serve as the administrator of the Diocese of Des Moines until the installation.

For more information go to https://www.dmdiocese.org/new-bishop.