Davenport bishop named Archbishop-Elect for Dubuque

July 26, 2023

Davenport Bishop Thomas Zinkula will become the new archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dubuque on Oct. 18. Pope Francis made the appiontment on Wednesday morning. 

Archbishop-elect Zinkula, born in 1957, was b orn on a farm outside of Mt. Vernon, Iowa. he graduated form Cornell College in Mt. Vernon with an undergraduate degree in mathematics, economics, and business. He received a law degree from the University of Iowa in 1983. he attended Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a master's degree in theology in 1990 and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque the same year. He received a licentiate in Canon law in 1998, and was appointed Bishop of Davenport in 2017. 

Des Moines Bishop Emeritus Richard Pates has been serving as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese since April 4 and will continue until Archbishop-elect Zinkula's installation.

Des Moines Bishop William Joensen said: "The clergy and people of the Diocese of Des Moines rejoice that our Holy Father Pope Francis has blessed the Province of Iowa by selecting Bishop Thomas Zinkula of Davenport as the next Archbishop of Dubuque.  In his six years in Davenport, Bishop Zinkula has demonstrated his zeal and creativity in proclaiming the Gospel, being a champion for social justice, and revealing the compassion and wisdom of a true pastor who bears the heart of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  We give thanks with the people of the Archdiocese of Dubuque that their native son will “come home” to Northeast Iowa, and pray for the people of the Diocese of Davenport as they must sadly allow their beloved bishop to follow as the Spirit leads, and wait patiently until a new bishop is appointed to succeed now Archbishop-elect Zinkula."