Today, the first American-born pope, Pope Leo XIV, appointed a new archbishop for the Archdiocese of Mobile.
Bishop Mark S. Rivituso, who has served as the Archdiocese of St. Louis’ auxiliary bishop since 2017, was appointed by the pope to serve as the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mobile.
Rivituso, 63, takes over for Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, who, in accordance with Church practice, gave notice of his retirement on March 27, 2024, his 75th birthday.
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States, will install Archbishop-designate Rivituso as Archbishop of Mobile. Although a date and location have not yet been decided, the installation Mass is anticipated to take place in roughly two months.
Prior to the installation of Archbishop-designate Rivituso, Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Rodi as the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Mobile.
The Holy Father is the one I thank the most for delivering us this exceptional bishop. Archbishop Rodi said, “I thank God that the Spirit led us in choosing our new archbishop.” As Archbishop-designate Rivituso gets ready to become our next archbishop, I urge that we all remember him in our prayers.
Rivituso, the Archbishop-designate, has a noteworthy connection to the Archdiocese of Mobile. On January 16, 1988, Archbishop John L. May, who presided over the former Diocese of Mobile from 1969 to 1980 before being assigned to the Archdiocese of St. Louis, ordained him as a priest.
The sixth of August (Gus) and Rosemary Rivituso’s eight children, Archbishop-designate Rivituso was born in St. Louis on September 20, 1961. He went to St. Wenceslaus School and was christened at St. Wenceslaus Parish in St. Louis in 1961.
Rivituso, the archbishop-designate, has served in a number of parishes in the St. Louis region. Since 2011, he has also been the Archdiocese of St. Louis’ vicar general. Rivituso, the archbishop-designate, studied at Kenrick Seminary and Cardinal Glennon College in St. Louis. He graduated from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada, with a licentiate in both civil and canon law.
Until Archbishop-designate Rivituso is installed, Archbishop Rodi will act as the Archdiocese of Mobile’s Apostolic Administrator. For over 17 years, Archbishop Rodi has been the Archbishop of Mobile.
The Mass will be said in the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception today at 12:10 p.m. by Archbishop-designate Rivituso.
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