Richard Edmund Pates (born February 12, 1943) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Pates served as bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines in Iowa from 2008 to 2019 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota from 2000 to 2008. After his retirement, Pates served as apostolic administrator of both the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois and the Diocese of Crookston in Minnesota for short terms. Biography Early life The youngest of three sons, Richard Pates was born on February 12, 1943, to Donald and Lenora Pates in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He attended Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary in Saint Paul and St. Paul Seminary, where he earned Bachelor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Latin degrees in 1965. 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. Early priesthood On December 20, 1968, Pates was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis by Bishop Francis Reh at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. After returning to Minnesota in 1968, he was appointed associate pastor at Blessed Sacrament Parish in St. Paul. In 1970, he was named vocation director of the archdiocese holding that position until 1974. Pates also served as a weekend associate pastor at Annunciation Parish in Minneapolis. In 1973, he was named as private secretary to Archbishop Leo Byrne and vice-chancellor of the Archdiocese. Senior priestly postings 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 Blessed Sacrament Parish in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and was raised by the Vatican to the rank of chaplain to his holiness in 1979. In 1981, Pates returned to Saint Paul to become rector of Saint John Vianney College 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 Saint Kevin Parish and the Resurrection Parish, both in Minneapolis. In 1991, the two parishes merged to form Our Lady of Peace Parish , where Pates continued as pastor until 1998. Pates served as moderator for the archdiocese deaneries, the Council of Catholic Women (1990–1998) and was the founding pastor of Saint Ambrose of Woodbury