Richard Pates

The youngest of three sons, Richard Pates was born to Donald and Lenora Pates in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[1] He attended Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary in Saint Paul and St. Paul Seminary, where he earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Philosophy and Latin in 1965.[2]

Pates completed his graduate studies in Rome, where he resided at the Pontifical North American College. He received a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

On December 20, 1968, Pates was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Francis Reh at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.[3]

Upon his return to Minnesota, Pates in 1968 was appointed associate pastor at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul. [1] In 1970, he was named vocation director of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, holding that position until 1974. Pates also served as a weekend associate pastor at the Church of the Annunciation[4] in Minneapolis. In 1973, he was named as private secretary to Archbishop Leo Byrne and vice-chancellor of the Archdiocese.[2]

In 1975, Pates was appointed as secretary of the Apostolic Delegation to the United States in Washington, D.C.. During this time, he assisted at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament[5] in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and was raised to the rank of Chaplain to His Holiness in 1979.[1]

In 1981, Pates returned to Saint Paul to become rector of St. John Vianney Seminary, a position he would hold until 1987. He was also appointed chaplain of the Serra Club of Midway, Minnesota.

In 1987, Pates was appointed Vicar for Seminaries and pastor of the Church of Saint Kevin Parish and the Church of the Resurrection Parish, both in Minneapolis. In 1991, the two parishes merged to form the Church of Our Lady of Peace,[6] where Pates continued as pastor until 1998.[2]

Pates served as moderator for Minneapolis Deaneries the Council of Catholic Women[7] (1990–1998) and the founding pastor of the Church of Saint Ambrose of Woodbury[8] in St. Paul (1998–2001).[2]

On December 22, 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed Pates as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Titular Bishop of Suacia.[3] He was installed and consecrated on March 26, 2001 by Archbishop Harry Flynn, with Archbishop John Roach and Bishop Frederick Campbell serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of St. Paul.[3]

As an auxiliary bishop, Pates served as vicar general, Vicar for Clergy, Vicar for Youth and Young Adults, and Vicar for Evangelization.[2]

On April 10, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Pates as the ninth bishop of Des Moines, Iowa.[3] He was installed and consecrated on May 29, 2008. He was the third consecutive Twin Cities' auxiliary bishop to be named ordinary of that diocese; his two immediate predecessors, Joseph Charron and William Henry Bullock, previously served the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese.[1]

On November 14, 2011, Pates was elected Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace at the 2011 Bishops meeting, on a 122–114 vote over Bishop Frank Joseph Dewane of Venice, Florida.[9]

Pates advocated lifting the embargo and the other restrictions the US has placed on Cuba, and for further dialogue between the two countries, earning some support from Florida-area Catholics.[10]

On February 16, 2018, Pates submitted his letter of resignation to Pope Francis having reached the canonical retirement age of 75.[11] His successor, then Father William M. Joensen, was announced in late July 2019.

On December 27, 2019, Francis named Pates as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Joliet after Bishop R. Daniel Conlon took medical leave.[12] He continued in that role when Conlon retired on May 4, 2020.[13] His responsibilities there ended when Bishop Ronald Aldon Hicks was installed there on September 29, 2020.[14]

On April 13, 2021, Francis named Pates as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Crookston. [15] The Pope had asked Bishop Michael Joseph Hoeppner to resign due to his mishandling of sexual abuse allegations against priests.[16] Pates' term was to end on December 6, 2021 with the installation of Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens as Bishop of Crookston.[17]