The Bishop of the Des Moines Catholic Diocese is retiring today.
Bishop Joseph Charron is 67-years-old and asked for early retirement in August of last year after being diagnosed with an arthritic condition. Bishops custimarily retire at the age of 75. Charron has been the Bishop of the Des Moines Diocese since 1994.
The Diocese of Des Moines covers 23 counties in the southwest quadrant of the state, covering the following counties: Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Lucas, Madison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Taylor, Union, Warren, and Wayne.