Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile
Former names: Apostolic Vicariate of Alabama and the Floridas (1825-1829), Diocese of Mobile (1829-1954), Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham (1954-1969).
Archdiocese of Mobile Archidiœcesis Mobiliensis | |
---|---|
Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception | |
Coat of arms | |
Location | |
Territory | Lower half of Alabama |
Ecclesiastical province | Province of Mobile |
Statistics | |
Area | 59,467 km2 (22,960 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members) | (as of 2013) 1,772,873 67,488 (3.8%) |
Information | |
Denomination | Catholic |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | 1825 |
Cathedral | Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception |
Patron saint | Immaculate Conception (Primary) Irenaeus of Lyons, Michael the Archangel (Secondary) |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Archbishop | Thomas John Rodi |
Map | |
Website | |
mobarch.org |
The Archdiocese of Mobile (Latin: Archidiœcesis Mobiliensis) is a Roman Catholic archdiocese comprising the lower 28 counties of Alabama. It is the metropolitan seat of the Province of Mobile, which includes the suffragan bishopric sees of the Diocese of Biloxi, the Diocese of Jackson, and the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama. The Archbishop of Mobile is the pastor of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception located in Mobile, Alabama.
As of 2004, it contained 65,588 Roman Catholics from a population of just over 1.65 million, and was approximately 4% Roman Catholic.[1] Most of the archdiocese's Catholic population lives in the Mobile area - 46,503 as of 2000 - and, as a result, the Mobile area is considerably more Catholic than the archdiocese at large. These numbers are based solely on parish membership lists; many Catholics in the area do not formally register with a parish, while many children are often not included in parish lists.
History
The diocese was originally erected by Pope Leo XII in 1825, as Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas. It was established as the Diocese of Mobile by Pope Pius VIII on May 15, 1829. The diocese had its name changed to the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham by Pope Pius XII on July 9, 1954, and was redesignated as the Diocese of Mobile by Pope Paul VI on June 28, 1969. The Ecclesiastical Province of Mobile was erected by Pope John Paul II on November 16, 1980. Before then, the diocese had been part of the Ecclesiastical Province of New Orleans.
Reports of Sex Abuse
In December 2018, Archbishop Thomas Rodi released the names of 29 priests and religious order clergy who were accused of committing acts of sex abuse while serving in the Archdiocese of Mobile.[2] Claims of sex abuse dated as early as 1950.[2] At least 2 Catholic clergy on this list were convicted, with one other being sued.[3] Rodi also issued an apology and asked for forgiveness.[2]
Bishops
The lists of the bishops and archbishops of Mobile and dates of service, followed by other affiliated bishops:
Bishops of Mobile
- Michael Portier (1825–1859)
- John Quinlan (1859–1883)
- Dominic Manucy (1884)
- Jeremiah O'Sullivan (1885–1896)
- Edward Patrick Allen (1897–1926)
- Thomas Joseph Toolen (1927–1954), title changed with title of diocese; also elevated to Archbishop ad personam in 1954
Bishop of Mobile-Birmingham
- Thomas Joseph Toolen (1954–1969), archbishop ad personam
Bishop of Mobile
- John Lawrence May (1969–1980), appointed Archbishop of Saint Louis
Archbishops of Mobile
- Oscar Hugh Lipscomb (1980–2008)
- Thomas John Rodi (2008–present)
Former Auxiliary Bishop of Nashville-Birmingham
- Joseph Aloysius Durick (1954–1963), appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Nashville and subsequently succeeded to that see
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
- John Stephen (Jean Étienne) Bazin, appointed Bishop of Vincennes in 1847
- Anthony Dominic Ambrose Pellicer, appointed Bishop of San Antonio in 1874
- John William Shaw, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of San Antonio in 1910
- William Benedict Friend, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Alexandria-Shreveport in 1979
- William Russell Houck, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Jackson in 1979
Schools
High schools
Middle schools
Elementary schools
- Christ the King Catholic School (Daphne)
- Corpus Christi School (Mobile)
- Little Flower Catholic School (Mobile)
- Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic School (Mobile)
- Resurrection Catholic School (Montgomery)
- St. Bede School (Montgomery)
- St. Benedict Catholic School (Elberta)
- St. Columba Pre-School (Dothan)
- St. Dominic School (Mobile)
- St. Ignatius School (Mobile)
- St. Joseph Catholic School (Tuskegee)
- St. Mary Catholic School (Mobile)
- St. Patrick Catholic School (Phenix City)
- St. Patrick School (Robertsdale)
- St. Pius X Catholic School (Mobile)
- St. Vincent De Paul Catholic School (Mobile)
See also
References
- "Archdiocese of Mobile". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- https://www.al.com/news/2018/12/list-of-priests-and-clergy-accused-of-abusing-children-released-by-mobile-archdiocese.html
- http://app.bishop-accountability.org/member/psearch.jsp?diocese=MOBILEAL&lastName=&msearch1=View&op=doSearch§ion=a-z&sortBy=&state=