Parish in St. Paul (1998–2001). Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis On December 22, 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed Pates as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and titular tishop of Suacia. He was 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. As an auxiliary bishop, Pates served as vicar general, vicar for clergy, vicar for youth and young adults, and vicar for evangelization. Bishop of Des Moines On April 10, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Pates as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines. He was installed on May 29, 2008. Pates was the third consecutive Twin Cities' auxiliary bishop to be named bishop Des Moines; his two immediate predecessors, Bishop Joseph Charron and Bishop William Bullock, previously served the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese. On November 14, 2011, Pates was elected chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace at the 2011 meeting, on a 122–114 vote over Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Florida. Pates advocated lifting the embargo and the other restrictions the US placed on Cuba, and for further dialogue between the two countries, earning some support from Florida-area Catholics. Retirement On February 16, 2018, Pates submitted his letter of resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines to Pope Francis having reached the canonical retirement age of 75. His successor, then Father William M. Joensen, was announced in late July 2019. Apostolic administrator On December 27, 2019, Francis named Pates as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Joliet after Bishop R. Daniel Conlon took medical leave. He continued in that role when Conlon retired on May 4, 2020. His responsibilities in Joliet ended when new Bishop Ronald Hicks was installed in Joliet on September 29, 2020. On April 13, 2021, Francis named Pates as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Crookston. The Pope had asked Bishop Michael Hoeppner to resign due to his mishandling of sexual abuse allegations against priests. Pates' term ended on December 6, 2021, with the installation of new Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens as Bishop of Crookston. References External links 1943 births Living people Clergy from Saint Paul, Minnesota 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity alumni Pontifical Gregorian