About us
Founded in 1972, the Diocese of Charlotte encompasses the 46 counties in the western half of North Carolina, with more than 530,000 Catholics including an array of peoples, rites and languages. We operate 92 parishes and missions, 20 schools, and more than 50 ministries and programs – including food banks, counseling, prison ministry, youth and elder ministry, campus ministry, anti-poverty efforts, refugee resettlement and pro-life advocacy.
Our diversity: The Holy Spirit at work
The Diocese of Charlotte welcomes diversity and many peoples, rites and languages. Roman rite Masses are offered regularly in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Hmong, with periodic Masses said in Igbo (Nigeria) and Polish. The diocese also embraces and journeys alongside several “sui iuris” (“self-governing”) Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the pope – including the Ukrainian Greek, Syro-Malabar, Maronite and Ethiopian/Eritrean Catholic Churches. Bishop Peter Jugis once called it a sign of the Holy Spirit at work: “This is Catholicism. It is the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church – and it’s all happening right here.”
What is a diocese?
A diocese is a geographic territory under the pastoral care of a bishop. In the Catholic Church only the pope can create, divide or merge dioceses. All dioceses are divided into parishes, each with its own church and typically a priest. The word “diocese” is sometimes misconstrued as the administrative office of the territory. Dioceses are typically named for the largest city within their territory – hence the Diocese of Raleigh, which covers the eastern half of North Carolina, and the Diocese of Charlotte, which covers the western half.