Thomas John Rodi

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Thomas John Rodi
Archbishop Emeritus of Mobile
Thomas rodi 2024.jpg
Archbishop Rodi with Christ the King’s 2025 confirmation class.
Archdiocese Mobile
AppointedApril 2, 2008
InstalledJune 6, 2008
RetiredJuly 1, 2025
Predecessor Oscar Hugh Lipscomb
Successor Mark Steven Rivituso
Previous postBishop of Biloxi (2001–2008)
Orders
OrdinationMay 20, 1978
by  Philip Matthew Hannan
ConsecrationJuly 2, 2001
by  Oscar Hugh Lipscomb, Francis B. Schulte, and Joseph Lawson Howze
Personal details
Born (1949-03-27) March 27, 1949 (age 76)
New Orleans, Louisiana, US
MottoCaritas Christi urget nos
(The love of Christ compels us)
Styles of
Thomas John Rodi
Coat of arms of Thomas John Rodi.svg
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Archbishop emeritus

Mons. Thomas John Rodi (born March 27, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mobile in Alabama 2008 to 2025, having previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi in Mississippi from 2001 to 2008. Pope Leo XIV accepted Rodi's resignation on July 1, 2025. [1]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Thomas Rodi was born on March 27, 1949, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from De La Salle High School in New Orleans in 1967. He attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971. He returned to New Orleans and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Tulane University Law School in 1974. He then entered Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and received his Master of Divinity degree in 1978. [2]

Work as a priest

Rodi was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New Orleans by Archbishop Philip Matthew Hannan on May 20, 1978. [3] After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Rodi as associate pastor at St. Ann Parish and at St. Christopher the Martyr Parish, both in Metairie, Louisiana, and at St. Agnes Parish in Jefferson, Louisiana. [2]

Rodi was named a judge for the metropolitan tribunal of the archdiocese in 1983. He was then sent to Washington D.C. to study at the Catholic University of America School of Canon Law. He earned his licentiate in canon law in 1986. The archdiocese then placed Rodi on the faculty of Notre Dame Seminary to teach taught canon law until 1995. [3] He held a number of offices in the archdiocesan administration, including director of the Office of Religious Education from 1988 to 1989 and director of the Department of Pastoral Services from 1989 to 1996. [2]

Archbishop Francis B. Schulte named Rodi as chancellor of the archdiocese in 1992. That same year, the Vatican elevated him to the rank of honorary prelate. Schulte named Rodi as his vicar general and moderator of the curia in 1996. [3] For a time he was also pastor of St. Rita Parish in New Orleans. [2]

Bishop of Biloxi

On May 15, 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed Rodi as bishop of Biloxi. [3] Rodi received his episcopal consecration on July 2, 2001, in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb, with Archbishop Francis Schulte and Bishop Joseph Howze serving as co-consecrators. [4] [5] [6] Rodi selected as his episcopal motto: Caritas Christi Urget Nos, 2 Cor 5:14, meaning, "The love of Christ compels us." [2] Rodi was only the second bishop of Biloxi, a diocese erected in 1977. [7]

Archbishop of Mobile

Pope Benedict XVI named Rodi as archbishop of Mobile on April 2, 2008, [4] replacing Bishop Oscar Lipscomb. Rodi was installed there on June 6, 2008. [2] He was the second archbishop of Mobile, a diocese named an archdiocese in 1980. [8] Rodi joined the board of Cross Catholic Outreach, an international relief agency, in 2010 and chaired its board from 2011 to 2020. [9]

In 2018, Rodi, on his own initiative, released a report of all clergy and religious in the archdiocese who had been credibly accused of sexual misconduct since 1950. It provided the names and further information about 12 diocesan clergymen and 17 members of religious orders. [10]

In July 2023, Rodi announced that 30-year-old Reverend Alex Crow had left Alabama for Italy with an 18-year-old girl, a recent graduate of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. No crime was alleged but Rodi notified police, citing "the circumstances of his departure". Rodi suspended Crow from ministry: "he may no longer exercise ministry as a priest, nor to tell people he is a priest, nor to dress as a priest." [11] Police closed their investigation because the young woman refused to cooperate. [12] Crow later requested laicization from the Vatican and it was granted in January 2024. [13]

Retirement

Pope Leo XIV accepted Rodi's resignation as archbishop of Mobile on July 1, 2025. [14]

References

  1. ↑ "Pope Leo XIV Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Thomas Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile; Appoints Bishop Mark Rivituso as Successor | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bishops of Mobile - Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi". Archdiocese of Mobile. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Rinunce e Nomine, 15.05.2001" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. May 15, 2001. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Rinunce e Nomine, 02.04.2008" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. April 2, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  5. ↑ Kessid, Brad (July 2, 2001). "Invited Guests Talk About The Ordination Of Bishop Rodi". WLOX. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Archbishop Thomas John Rodi [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
  7. ↑ "Previous Bishops of Biloxi". Catholic Diocese of Biloxi. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  8. ↑ Specker, Lawrence (March 27, 2024). "Catholic archbishop in Mobile takes step toward retirement". AL.com. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Archbishop Aquila Joins Board Archbishop Rodi Retires as Chairman". Cross Catholic Outreach. October 5, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  10. ↑ Best, Chris (December 6, 2018). "Breaking: 29 priest, deacons in Mobile Archdiocese accused of child sex abuse". WKRG. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  11. ↑ Singleton, Darwin (July 27, 2023). "Alabama Catholic archbishop asks district attorney to investigate now-defrocked priest". CBS12 News. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  12. ↑ Poole, Summer; Redd, Asher (November 7, 2024). "Mobile County Sheriff's Office closes case on former Catholic priest Alex Crow". WKRG. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  13. ↑ Christian, Gina. "Runaway Catholic priest Alex Crow now laicized, Mobile archdiocese says". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Pope Leo XIV Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Thomas Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile; Appoints Bishop Mark Rivituso as Successor | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Archbishop of Mobile
2008–2025		Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Biloxi
2001–2008		Succeeded by
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