 On July 1, 1989, Jacobs was appointed the tenth Bishop of Alexandria by Pope John Paul II.He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 24 from Archbishop Francis Schulte, with Bishops Boudreaux and Jude Speyrer serving as co-consecrators.Jacobs was named the third Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux on August 1, 2003, and was installed on October 10 of that year.