Pope Francis appoints new Bishop for Des Moines, USA

Bishop-elect Fr William Joensen will succeed Bishop Richard Pates, whose resignation from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Des Moines was accepted by the Holy Father.

By Vatican News

Pope Francis has named Father William M Joensen as the new Bishop of Des Moines, USA. Father Joensen, a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, has been serving as Associate Professor of Philosophy and Dean of Campus Spiritual Life at Loras College, a Catholic liberal arts college in Dubuque.

Curriculum vitae of Father William Joensen

William M. Joensen was born in Waterloo, Iowa, on 8 July 1960.

He studied at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio (1984-1989), and later obtained a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (1995-2001).

He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque on 24 June 1989.

Following his ordination, Fr Joensen served as associate pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Waterloo, and taught at Columbus High School (1989-1992). In 1992 he became associate pastor at Resurrection Parish in Dubuque, where he served until 1995. From 2003-2010, he was a chaplain at Clarke College in Dubuque.

Since 2001, Fr Joensen has been a spiritual director at the Saint Pius X Seminary in Dubuque, as well as Associate Professor of Philosophy and Dean of Campus Spiritual Life at Loras College.

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