The Archdiocese of Mobile, established in 1825, was initially a Vicariate-Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas. It expanded to encompass the entire state of Alabama and Florida, with the panhandle of Florida remaining part of the Diocese of St. Augustine and later the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. In 1969, the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham was divided into two separate dioceses. In 1980, it was raised to the status of an archdiocese, with Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb as its first archbishop. The arrival of Catholicism in the region dates back to early Spanish and French explorations and settlements in Pensacola, Florida. The Catholic population grew in northern Alabama, particularly in Birmingham, due to the steel industry and immigration from the northeast and Europe. The archdiocese has 83 parishes, a successful Catholic Social Services system, three Catholic high schools, and Spring Hill College. The Catholic Church continues to face challenges in today’s world, focusing on the teachings and mission of Jesus Christ.