Archdiocese of Mobile

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

Statistics

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

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Thomas John Rodi (Archbishop: 2 Apr 2008 - )

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Edward Patrick Allen † (Bishop: 26 Jan 1897 to 21 Oct 1926)
• John Stephen (Jean Étienne) Bazin † (Priest: 22 Jul 1822 to 23 Apr 1847)
• Joseph Aloysius Durick † (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Dec 1954 to 2 Dec 1963)
• William Benedict Friend † (Priest: 7 May 1959 to 31 Aug 1979)
• 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)