Bishop Richard Pates of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines announced his retirement this week on the occasion of his 75th birthday.
“At age 75, bishops are required to submit their resignations from office, according to Canon law,” Pates said in a letter published in the Catholic Mirror newspaper. “On Feb. 12 I reached that magic number.”
Pates, a native of St. Paul, Minn., was ordained a bishop in 2001 and was named the ninth bishop of Des Moines by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.
The Vatican will now search for a successor to Pates, and “oftentimes, this requires four months or considerably more,” he said.
Pates said he intends to return to the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in retirement.
“God has been particularly benevolent to me in my nearly 50 years of service as his priest,” Pates said. “For this, my heart beats with gratitude.”
