The World Food Prize Foundation has announced that The Most Reverend Richard E. Pates, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines, has been chosen as the recipient of the fifth anniversary 2017 Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award.

“Bishop Pates is receiving this unique recognition for his leadership in confronting hunger at home and abroad, and especially for his role building international understanding as chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,” said Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation.

Quinn made the announcement Sept. 25 at the Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates in Des Moines. Also, Msgr. Frank Bognanno, pastor of the Christ the King Parish in Des Moines, spoke at the press conference.

Extraordinary leadership in humanitarian efforts
Quinn noted that in announcing Pates as the recipient of the 2017 Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award, the World Food Prize was honoring an individual who has significantly built upon that proud legacy with his own extraordinary leadership.

“As the leader of the Diocese of Des Moines for the last nine years, Bishop Pates has established an exceptional record of humanitarian leadership in welcoming refugees from various parts of the world, including Myanmar [Burma] and countries in Africa,” said Quinn.

Pates noted that, “In the great spirit of Gov. Ray and the SHARES program, our board and staff felt it essential to take on this work.” The bishop added that, “Settlement of refugees and immigrants is labor-intensive, so I am proud of the way our Catholic community continues to respond with genuine compassion and care.”

Helping confront problem of hunger
In addition, Pates has ensured, through the work of Catholic Charities and the Catholic Relief Services, that those who are hungry and living in poverty have food and shelter. He formed a global advocacy team that studies global issues and policy, and then meets with government and political leaders to advocate for programs that help the poor. As a result of his leadership, parishioners have contributed over $337,000 to programs operated by Catholic Relief Services to confront hunger internationally.

Furthermore, they have separately donated over $500,000 in response to global emergencies in Haiti, Nepal, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Rim and the current famine in East Africa. Locally, the Catholic Charities Food Pantry provides free food to over 2,500 families annually within the Diocese and operates shelters in Council Bluffs and Des Moines.

Through his yearlong leadership within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pates compiled an extraordinary record of building bridges to countries and peoples with whom the U.S. has a most distant relationship. His efforts extended to three extremely different areas, each with intractable problems of diplomacy.

Helping build better relationships with other nations
Included were Cuba, Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian divide. He led delegations to each country, opening dialogues with religious and political representatives, and identifying humanitarian issues such as combating poverty and addressing acute medical needs. In so doing, the bishop has shown it is possible to create understanding around humanitarian issues.

“Bishop Pates has demonstrated again and again that leaders of faith have a remarkable ability to initiate and provide openings where diplomats and political leaders are unable to do so,” said Quinn. He added, “Bishop Pates is reaffirming that confronting hunger and poverty can bring people together across the widest differences of ethnicity, religion, politics and diplomacy.”

Register now to attend Iowa Hunger Summit
The award will be formally presented to Pates at the Iowa Hunger Luncheon on Oct. 16 at the Downtown Des Moines Marriott. The event is free and open to the public, and Iowans are encouraged to RSVP for the event at iowahungersummit.org/hsregister.

Crystal Harris, director of the Iowa Hunger Summit, noted the announcement of the recipient is scheduled to coincide with Ray’s birthday on Sept. 26. The Iowa Hunger Summit is about confronting hunger both at home and abroad.

“Gov. Ray’s legacy is similarly about addressing hunger issues here in Iowa and alleviating human suffering, including by welcoming refugees from Indochina at the end of the Vietnam War, and by rushing doctors, nurses, food and medicine to save starving Cambodians in 1979,” said Quinn. “Those actions on the governor’s part came following the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to Iowa in 1979, and the interfaith appeal that was made at that time.” At the Sept. 25 announcement of Bishop Pates receiving the 2017 award, Bognanno spoke about the historic Papal visit.