Monsignor Chiodo to retire

May 23, 2022

Monsignor Frank Chiodo is retiring after having devoted his life to pastoral service in both rural and urban parishes; to evangelization through books and CDs; and to preserving history and expressions of faith.

Monsignor Chiodo attended Dowling High School, Immaculate Conception Seminary in Conception, Missouri, and St. Thomas Theological Seminary in Denver.
He was ordained in 1976 by Bishop Maurice Dingman, served Christ the King Parish in Des Moines for a year, then served on the faculty of St. Albert Catholic School for a year.

In 1980, he began five years of team ministry serving parishes to the south while based out of S. Brendan Parish in Leon, then Sacred Heart Parish in Chariton. 

In 1985, Monsignor began a 16-year stretch of service to the Basilica of St. John Parish in Des Moines. During his years there, the church, designed in a Romanesque Revival style, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1987) and was elevated to a Minor Basilica (1989). 

In 2001, he served St. Thomas More Church in Omaha, and returned to Des Moines in 2005 to serve Holy Trinity Parish. 

In 2007, he moved to his home parish of St. Anthony, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. Monsignor wanted to preserve the history of the Italian immigrants and, more recently, Hispanic immigrants who built and served St. Anthony Parish. He pushed to have a history book on St. Anthony Parish printed.

“I am personally proud of the important significance of the parish to the city of Des Moines, the Diocese of Des Moines, and the entire nation,” he said at the time the parish was added to the historic registry. 

Monsignor Chiodo used contemporary media to bring the Good News out into the public square. He authored three books, had a radio program on Iowa Catholic Radio which was telecast weekly on a local cable channel, and produced a series of CDs featuring a variety of homilies and reflections. 

He was also known for celebrating the Extraordinary Form of the Catholic Mass (also known as the traditional Latin Mass or Tridentine Mass). 

In 1990, he was named a Prelate of Honor with the title of monsignor by St. John Paul II.