Over the past two decades, Bishop Peter Jugis has led the Diocese of Charlotte through unprecedented growth, welcoming new families, opening churches and schools, and increasing vocations — a clear sign the Holy Spirit is at work. Follow the story of our growth in the timeline below:
2003
• On Oct. 24, Father Peter Jugis, the diocese’s judicial vicar and pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Monroe, is ordained and installed as the diocese’s fourth bishop, succeeding the retiring Bishop William Curlin.
2004
• Bishop Jugis dedicates four churches in his first year: a new Our Lady of Lourdes in Monroe, not long after leaving as pastor to become bishop; St. Joseph Vietnamese in Charlotte; Divine Redeemer in Boonville; and St. James the Greater in Concord.
• Bishop Jugis makes his first “ad limina” visit to Rome, meeting with Pope John Paul II (who ordained him in 1983 and named him bishop in 2003).
2005
• Thousands gather in Charlotte for the diocese’s inaugural Eucharistic Congress, founded by Bishop Jugis to promote devotion to the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Catholic faith.
• Bishop Jugis dedicates three more churches: St. Lucien in Spruce Pine, Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem and Holy Family in Clemmons.
• Holy Spirit in Denver opens a parish activity center.
• Bishop Jugis dedicates a Pope John Paul II Adoration Chapel at St. Joseph Church in Kannapolis.
2006
• A new Our Lady of the Americas Church is dedicated in Biscoe-Candor by Bishop Jugis.
• Asheville hosts a Eucharistic Conference, prior to the diocese’s second Eucharistic Congress.
• Our Lady of Consolation in Charlotte opens a community life center.
2007
• Bishop Jugis elevates four missions to parish status: Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph Vietnamese in Charlotte, St. Joseph in Kannapolis, and Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe-Candor.
• Bishop Jugis dedicates new churches for St. Joan of Arc in Candler and St. John the Evangelist in Waynesville, as well as a new Catholic cemetery in Salisbury.
• Receptions into the Church, including infant and adult baptisms, top 7,000 for the first time.
2008
• North Carolina’s two bishops form Catholic Voice NC, a non-partisan public policy organization to express the Catholic viewpoint on state legislative and social issues.
• Bishop Jugis dedicates an expanded St. Bernadette Church in Linville, a new Adoration Chapel at Belmont Abbey College, and St. Patrick Cathedral’s Family Life Center.
• Bishop Jugis blesses a new Catholic section of Matthews Cemetery, and a Huntersville cemetery opens a Catholic section (only the second in the diocese).
2009
• Bishop Jugis dedicates larger churches for Sacred Heart in Salisbury and St. Ann in Charlotte, as well as St. Mark Church, a new church in Huntersville to serve Catholics in the growing north Charlotte suburbs.
• Bishop Jugis releases a three-year Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry to address the spiritual needs of the diocese’s growing Hispanic population, and the next year, names Father Fidel Melo the first episcopal vicar of Hispanic Ministry.
• The diocese’s Office of Economic Opportunity marks its 10th anniversary of social justice work in far western North Carolina.
2010
• Bishop Jugis dedicates two new, larger churches: Immaculate Conception in Forest City and St. Pius X in Greensboro. In Greensboro, he remarks, “This is the 16th church that I have dedicated since becoming bishop. It is a strong sign of how the Catholic Church in North Carolina is growing.”
• The diocese announces it will build a third high school to serve families in the growing north Charlotte area: “Each of the Catholic schools in our diocese places the Person of Jesus Christ front and center in its school life. Naming the proposed new Catholic high school in honor of Christ the King is another sign of our strong commitment to Christ and His Gospel, and to excellence in education,” Bishop Jugis says.
• Curlin Commons, the first “green” apartment community for low-income seniors in North Carolina and the diocese’s first housing project, opens in Mooresville.
• The diocese hosts its first Marian Rosary Congress.
• St. Stephen Mission in Elkin dedicates a family life center, and St. William Parish in Murphy opens a faith formation center.
• Immaculata School breaks ground in Hendersonville for a preschool and special needs school.
• The century-old St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville earns “national significance” as a unique historic treasure.
2011
• The first Diocese of Charlotte Men’s Conference is held.
• A “Catholics Come Home” campaign is held to reach approximately 145,000 inactive Catholics throughout the diocese.
2012
• Bishop Jugis makes his second “ad limina” visit to Rome and meets with Pope Benedict XVI.
• The diocese’s 2012 Diocesan Support Appeal campaign tops $5 million for the first time.
• Bishop Jugis blesses two new Catholic cemeteries in Haywood County.
2013
• Bishop Jugis consecrates the diocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• Catholic Social Services is renamed Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte and begins an expansion plan to add new programs and locations around the diocese in the coming years.
• Christ the King High School opens in Huntersville.
• Good Shepherd Gardens, the diocese’s second housing project, opens in Salisbury.
• The diocese’s first Fatima procession in honor of Our Lady of Fatima takes place May 13 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte.
2014
• Bishop Jugis dedicates more churches to accommodate the growing Catholic population: St. Francis of Assisi in Jefferson, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hayesville, and St. Peter Yu for Korean Catholics in Greensboro.
• St. Matthew opens a 16,000-square-foot multipurpose facility in Waxhaw, and St. Vincent de Paul in Charlotte opens a new ministry center and chapel.
• In August, Our Lady of Grace School begins classes in a state-of-the-art expansion to its original school building.
• Bishop Jugis and Bishop Emeritus William Curlin, who was close friends with Mother Teresa, break ground together on Mother Teresa Villa in Charlotte, the diocese’s third housing project. Designed for developmentally disabled adults, it opens in 2015.
• The first Quo Vadis Days vocations camp for young men is held.
• An unprecedented diocese-wide “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign raises $54 million – now has $21 million in 7 endowments – to fund current and long-range initiatives across the diocese.
• The Catholic Conference Center in Hickory gets a $1 million makeover funded in part by the FFHL campaign.
2015
• At Advent, the worldwide Church begins a Jubilee Year of Mercy that continues into 2016, with three Doors of Mercy opened in the diocese: St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, and St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. People are encouraged to seek out the sacrament of penance and make a pilgrimage to the churches. Bishop Jugis urges people to make progress on their life’s spiritual journey and practice works of mercy.
• Bishop Jugis creates the position of diocesan vocations promoter.
• Bishop Jugis dedicates a larger St. Thérèse Church in Mooresville.
• Cardinal Timothy Dolan gives the keynote address at the diocese’s Eucharistic Congress, which draws its highest attendance ever at more than 14,000 people.
• St. Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte and St. Pius X and Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro break ground for or open expanded parish activity centers to serve their growing communities.
• In response to Pope Francis’ call to help protect creation, St. Eugene in Asheville installs solar panels on its parish activity center’s roof. The environmental project becomes a model that several more churches, schools and the Diocesan Pastoral Center follow.
• Christ the King High School in Huntersville graduates its first class of 29 students.
• St. Frances of Rome in Sparta and Holy Cross in Kernersville open cemeteries.
2016
• On March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, Bishop Jugis announces the founding of St. Joseph College Seminary for undergraduate men discerning the priesthood.It opens in a temporary home in Charlotte with eight students.
• Attendance at the Bishop’s Annual Youth Pilgrimage reaches 1,000 for the first time.
• St. Barnabas receives a $4.1 million bequest from late parishioners Dennis and Mary Kushler – the largest estate gift in the diocese’s history.
• The first Duc In Altum vocations camp for young women is held.
• St. Matthew Church in Charlotte – the second largest Catholic parish in the United States – tops 10,000 registered families.
• Catholic Charities expands its outreach from immediate aid to providing a comprehensive range of “wrap-around” services to people in need, what it calls “Transition Out of Poverty.”
• A Catholic cemetery opens in Albemarle.
• The 25th annual AIDS Walk raises over $40,000 for the House of Mercy, a care home for AIDS patients run by the Sisters of Mercy in Belmont.
2017
• The diocese buys 86 acres in Mount Holly, near Belmont Abbey College, as the future home for St. Joseph College Seminary.
• St. Mary Syro-Malabar Church is consecrated in Charlotte by its bishop, with Bishop Jugis and diocesan clergy in attendance.
• Several Campus Ministry locations are renovated or expanded, thanks to FFHL funding.
• Catholic Charities moves into a larger location in Winston-Salem to enable it to serve more people in the Piedmont-Triad.
• Bishop Jugis blesses new parish activity centers for St. James in Concord and St. Pius X in Greensboro.
• The diocese commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions with Masses and processions. Three churches host a world-famous pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima on its international tour.
• The diocese hosts its first catechetical conference for faith formation teachers and other ministry leaders.
2018
• Bishop Jugis breaks ground for St. Joseph College Seminary.
• Bishop Emeritus William Curlin dies, aged 90.
• Bishop Jugis blesses a new cemetery for St. Francis of Assisi in Jefferson.
• Old St. Joseph Church in Mount Holly gets a major overhaul to protect the historic structure. Built in 1843, it is the oldest Catholic church still standing in North Carolina and a U.S. and state historic site.
• Our Lady of the Assumption and Christ the King High schools are expanded to accommodate growing enrollments.
2019
• Confirmations across the diocese top 5,000 for the first time.
• Catholic Charities opens a new location in Greensboro.
• St. Philip in Statesville opens a new parish hall, and St. Michael School in Gastonia celebrates an expansion and renovation.
• Bishop Jugis joins with Raleigh Bishop Luis Zarama and Lutheran Bishop Timothy Smith to renew the Lutheran-Catholic Covenant, reaffirming their commitment to finding Christian unity through continued dialogue. The effort began in 1991 with their predecessors and has been renewed several times.
2020
• The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closes all churches, schools and ministries. Everyone shifts online to livestreamed Masses, remote learning, email prayer chains and social media to stay connected to their faith and each other. Catholic Charities redoubles its outreach efforts to help thousands impacted by the pandemic. Churches partner with local hospitals to offer free vaccine clinics. The 2020 and 2021 Eucharistic Congress take place online.
• Bishop Jugis announces a “Year of St. Joseph” to commemorate the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph being solemnly declared Patron of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis later declares a similar celebration, so the diocese extends its celebration to the end of 2021 to coincide with the universal Church’s event. The pandemic curtails most in-person celebrations, so the diocese offers resources online and in the Catholic News Herald.
• Bishop Jugis opens and blesses St. Joseph College Seminary on Sept. 15 – exactly two years after breaking ground on the project.
• Bishop Jugis dedicates a new, larger church for Queen of the Apostles in Belmont, and he blesses Guardian Angel Villas, the diocese’s fourth and largest housing project.
2021
• As the pandemic subsides, in-person activities carefully resume at parishes, schools and offices. “It’s a new moment, and we are about to experience an explosion of joy as restrictions continue to loosen,” Bishop Jugis tells his fellow priests at the Chrism Mass. “A new moment is dawning for all of us.”
• The Diocese of Charlotte Foundation surpasses 300 endowments, representing more than $71.5 million.
• In conjunction with the worldwide Synod of Bishops called by Pope Francis, Bishop Jugis opens a diocesan Synod that includes listening sessions and surveys of the faithful about the future needs of the Church.
• Bishop Jugis establishes a diocesan Family Life Office on the Feast of the Holy Family. “With the challenges so many people face today, it is more important than ever that the Church ‘leans in’ to sustain and encourage families, especially those who are just starting out or are struggling,” he says.
• Asheville Catholic School expands to meet the needs of a growing enrollment.
• Over $170,000 in FFHL funds is awarded to Catholic schools for tuition aid – the highest amount given out since the aid program began.
• Bishop Jugis blesses a new chapel and cemetery at Holy Family in Clemmons.
2022
• Bishop Jugis kicks off the diocese’s 50th anniversary Jan. 12 with Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral and dedication of a statue of Mary, Mother of God – official patroness of the diocese. Themed “More Precious Than Gold,” the anniversary celebrations include a Marian Pilgrimage to 100-plus sites, family-oriented events, and “Acts of Charity” performed across the diocese.
• Bishop Jugis elevates St. Jude in Sapphire from mission to parish status.
• The Poor Servants of the Mother of God announces the diocese will assume Catholic oversight of Pennybyrn, the retirement community the congregation founded in 1947 in High Point.
• After the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade, Bishop Jugis encourages the faithful to step up their efforts to help local pregnant women in need.
• Canongate Catholic School in Arden joins the diocesan school system as an affiliate.
• Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools celebrates the opening of its Fine Arts Center on the Charlotte Catholic High School campus.
2023
• The diocese’s 20 Catholic schools hit a record enrollment of more than 8,100 students.
• The number of seminarians preparing for the priesthood in the diocese tops 50 for the first time.
• Following the diocesan Synod that took place in 2021-’22, Bishop Jugis issues six pastoral priorities based on key needs identified by the faithful.
• Bishop Jugis dedicates a new, larger church for St. Luke in Mint Hill.
• Catholic Charities opens a new location in North Wilkesboro, its seventh.
• Immaculata School in Hendersonville completes a state-of-the-art expansion, and Christ the King High School expands again, adding an athletic and activities complex to its campus.
Diocese marks Bishop Peter Jugis’ 20th anniversary:
- Amid booming growth, diocese marks Bishop Jugis’ 20th anniversary
- Bishop Jugis calls faithful to unity in the Real Presence
- Hispanic community enriches diocese’s growth, faith
- Bishop Jugis’ pilgrimages to the Vatican
- Fourth Bishop of Charlotte: A native Charlottean, ordained by John Paul II
- Looking back: Ordination Day 2003
In pictures:
