Mobile (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Thomas John Rodi, Archbishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 29 July 1980
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Alabama
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 59,941 (23,152 Square Miles)
Conference Region: V (AL, KY, LA, MS, TN)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: MOB
Official Web Site: http://www.mobilearchdiocese.org/
Mailing Address: 400 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602, USA
Telephone: (251)434-1586
Fax: 434-1588

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas
- Erected: 29 August 1825
- Vicariate
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Mobile
- Latin Name: Mobiliensis
- Erected: 15 May 1829
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Alabama
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 58,821
- Description: The entire state of Alabama plus Western Florida.
Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham
- Latin Name: Mobiliensis-Birminghamiensis
- Name Changed: 30 April 1954
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Alabama
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Mobile
- Latin Name: Mobiliensis
- Split: 28 June 1969
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Alabama
- Country: United States of America

Past and Present Ordinaries

Michael Portier † (26 Aug 1825 Appointed - 14 May 1859 Died)
John Quinlan † (19 Aug 1859 Appointed - 9 Mar 1883 Died)
Dominic Manucy † (18 Jan 1884 Appointed - 27 Sep 1884 Resigned)
Jeremiah O’Sullivan † (16 Jun 1885 Appointed - 10 Aug 1896 Died)
Edward Patrick Allen † (26 Jan 1897 Appointed - 21 Oct 1926 Died)
Thomas Joseph Toolen † (28 Feb 1927 Appointed - 29 Sep 1969 Retired)
John Lawrence May † (29 Sep 1969 Appointed - 24 Jan 1980 Appointed, Archbishop of Saint Louis, Missouri)
Oscar Hugh Lipscomb † (29 Jul 1980 Appointed - 2 Apr 2008 Retired)
Thomas John Rodi (2 Apr 2008 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas
29 August 1825	Erected	Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas (Saint Louis of New Orleans)	Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas (erected)
Diocese of Mobile
15 May 1829	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas	Diocese of Mobile (erected) (Name changed and Vicariate raised to a Diocese; Alabama and Florida)
18 June 1834	Territory Added		Diocese of Mobile (AL and FL)
19 July 1850	Territory Lost	Diocese of Charleston Diocese of Mobile	Diocese of Savannah (erected) (State of Georgia and Florida to the Appalachicola River)
19 July 1850	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Galveston (from Baltimore to New Orleans) Diocese of Little Rock (from Baltimore to New Orleans) Diocese of Mobile (from Baltimore to New Orleans) Diocese of Natchez (from Baltimore to New Orleans)
Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham
30 April 1954	Name Changed	Diocese of Mobile	Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham
2 March 1968	Territory Lost	Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham (Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Gulf, Homes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington)	Diocese of Saint Augustine
28 June 1969	Split	Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham	Diocese of Birmingham Diocese of Mobile
Diocese of Mobile
28 June 1969	Split	Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham	Diocese of Birmingham Diocese of Mobile
Archdiocese of Mobile
29 July 1980	Elevated	Diocese of Mobile	Archdiocese of Mobile

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Mobile

1950 70,739 3,048,891 2.3% 124 178 302 234 192 630 101 ap1951

Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham

1966 131,864 4,402,371 3.0% 198 216 414 318 340 829 141 ap1967

Diocese of Mobile

1970 42,518 1,229,131 3.5% 70 83 153 277 114 359 66 ap1971

1976 48,353 1,229,131 3.9% 78 91 169 286 117 286 71 ap1977

Archdiocese of Mobile

1980 54,839 1,370,000 4.0% 84 78 162 338 15 118 273 73 ap1981

1990 66,119 1,526,100 4.3% 89 57 146 452 22 70 243 93 ap1991

1999 66,013 1,452,506 4.5% 107 40 147 449 41 16 201 76 ap2000

2000 69,214 1,452,508 4.8% 82 44 126 549 39 56 196 83 ap2001

2001 66,325 1,600,020 4.1% 98 41 139 477 37 53 181 76 ap2002

2002 68,582 1,640,683 4.2% 95 35 130 527 37 46 179 76 ap2003

2003 64,821 1,640,683 4.0% 97 34 131 494 63 46 170 76 ap2004

2004 65,588 1,652,398 4.0% 101 32 133 493 61 42 156 76 ap2005

2013 67,488 1,772,873 3.8% 88 31 119 567 49 41 107 76 ap2014

2016 77,679 1,793,639 4.3% 85 33 118 658 63 40 95 75 ap2017

2019 87,912 1,801,274 4.9% 81 29 110 799 66 36 93 76 ap2020

2021 86,697 1,808,886 4.8% 77 23 100 866 65 28 88 76 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Mobile
1950	70,739	3,048,891	2.3%	124	178	302	234		192	630	101	ap1951
Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham
1966	131,864	4,402,371	3.0%	198	216	414	318		340	829	141	ap1967
Diocese of Mobile
1970	42,518	1,229,131	3.5%	70	83	153	277		114	359	66	ap1971
1976	48,353	1,229,131	3.9%	78	91	169	286		117	286	71	ap1977
Archdiocese of Mobile
1980	54,839	1,370,000	4.0%	84	78	162	338	15	118	273	73	ap1981
1990	66,119	1,526,100	4.3%	89	57	146	452	22	70	243	93	ap1991
1999	66,013	1,452,506	4.5%	107	40	147	449	41	16	201	76	ap2000
2000	69,214	1,452,508	4.8%	82	44	126	549	39	56	196	83	ap2001
2001	66,325	1,600,020	4.1%	98	41	139	477	37	53	181	76	ap2002
2002	68,582	1,640,683	4.2%	95	35	130	527	37	46	179	76	ap2003
2003	64,821	1,640,683	4.0%	97	34	131	494	63	46	170	76	ap2004
2004	65,588	1,652,398	4.0%	101	32	133	493	61	42	156	76	ap2005
2013	67,488	1,772,873	3.8%	88	31	119	567	49	41	107	76	ap2014
2016	77,679	1,793,639	4.3%	85	33	118	658	63	40	95	75	ap2017
2019	87,912	1,801,274	4.9%	81	29	110	799	66	36	93	76	ap2020
2021	86,697	1,808,886	4.8%	77	23	100	866	65	28	88	76	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Edward Patrick Allen † (Bishop: 26 Jan 1897 to 21 Oct 1926)
Moses Bosco Anderson, S.S.E. †
John Stephen (Jean Étienne) Bazin † (Priest: 22 Jul 1822 to 23 Apr 1847)
Joseph Aloysius Durick † (Priest: 23 Mar 1940; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Dec 1954 to 2 Dec 1963)
William Benedict Friend † (Priest: 7 May 1959 to 31 Aug 1979)
Richard Oliver Gerow †
William Russell Houck † (Priest: 19 May 1951 to 28 Mar 1979)
Joseph Lawson Howze †
Oscar Hugh Lipscomb † (Priest: 15 Jul 1956; Archbishop: 29 Jul 1980 to 2 Apr 2008)
Dominic Manucy † (Priest: 15 Aug 1850 to 18 Sep 1874; Bishop: 18 Jan 1884 to 27 Sep 1884)
John Lawrence May † (Bishop: 29 Sep 1969 to 24 Jan 1980)
Jeremiah O’Sullivan † (Bishop: 16 Jun 1885 to 10 Aug 1896)
Anthony Dominic Ambrose Pellicer † (Priest: 15 Aug 1850 to 1 Sep 1874)
Michael Portier † (Vicar Apostolic: 26 Aug 1825; Bishop: 15 May 1829 to 14 May 1859)
John Quinlan † (Bishop: 19 Aug 1859 to 9 Mar 1883)
John William Shaw † (Priest: 26 May 1888 to 7 Feb 1910)
Thomas Joseph Toolen † (Bishop: 28 Feb 1927; Archbishop (Personal Title): 27 May 1954 to 29 Sep 1969)
Joseph Gregory Vath † (Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Mar 1966 to 29 Sep 1969)

Source(s)

Diocese of Mobile
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 174
Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 46, Page 606, and Page 607

Archdiocese of Mobile