 He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 25 from Bishop Albert Lewis Fletcher, with Bishops Lawrence Michael De Falco and Warren L. Boudreaux serving as co-consecrators.Following the retirement of Bishop Charles Pasquale Greco, on May 10, 1973, Graves was named Bishop of Alexandria to succeed Charles Pasquale Greco.During his tenure, he was established or improved continuing education for priests, offices for religious education and youth ministry, permanent diaconate program, and the communications apostolate in newspaper, radio, and television.