Fr. Thomas Frederick Price, the first native North Carolinian to be ordained a priest, was born on August 19, 1860 in Wilmington, NC. As a young priest he served in Asheville and even offered Mass at the top of MountContinue reading Birth of Fr. Price
On June 24, 1962 Bishop Vincent Waters, Ordinary of the Diocese of Raleigh, dedicated Holy Infant Church in Reidsville. The Gaetano family of Orange, Connecticut financed the construction of the church and chose its name. Fr. Edward O’Doherty, a retiredContinue reading A GIFT FOR THE HOLY INFANT
Rev. Michael McInerney, OSB had already designed the first St. Michael Church which was on the corner of Long Ave. and Falls St. in Gastonia. He also was the architect for the second St. Michael Church which was constructed nextContinue reading A New Church and Location for St. Michael’s
The first Mass at St. Bernadette Church in Linville was offered on New Year’s Eve in 1988. The church was later dedicated by Bishop John Donoghue on July 29, 1989.
On April 27, 1969, St. Eugene Church in Asheville was dedicated by Bishop Vincent Waters of the Diocese of Raleigh. The parish of St. Eugene had been established in 1959 with Fr. John Brown as the first pastor and, initially,Continue reading A Mountain Church Under the Patronage of a Pope
On May 22, 1955, Bishop Vincent Waters of the Diocese of Raleigh dedicated the second St. James Church on Union Street in Concord. The first St. James Church, which was located on Gold Hill Rd. was destroyed by fire theContinue reading A NEW ST. JAMES
Mass was celebrated for the first time in St. Joseph Church on Christmas Day in 1945. 16 parishioners were the charter members of St. Joseph’s. Sadly, the edifice was destroyed by fire four years later. An army base chapel wasContinue reading Christmas in Kannapolis
On November 29, 1983 Christ the King Mission was dedicated by Bishop Michael Begley. This date in 1983 was the Feast of Christ the King which is always celebrated on the Sunday before Advent. Christ the King Mission is locatedContinue reading ALL FOR THE KING
On the evening of September 10, 1941, St. Joseph Church in Bryson City was dedicated by the Bishop of Raleigh, the Most Rev. Eugene McGuinness. St. Joseph’s was, at the time of its dedication, the only Catholic Church in NorthContinue reading Church in the Smokies
On April 13, 1994, Bishop William G. Curlin was installed as the third bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte. Bishop Curlin retired as Ordinary of the Diocese of Charlotte in 2002.
On April 6th, 1993 St. Lawrence Church in Asheville was elevated to the rank of Minor Basilica by Blessed Pope John Paul II. The first St. Lawrence Church in Asheville was constructed in the late 1860’s. A new church wasContinue reading A Basilica for the Diocese
On December 20,1988, Msgr. William Curlin was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C. by James Cardinal Hickey. Bishop Curlin was appointed third Bishop of Charlotte in 1994 and he remained Ordinary of the diocese until his retirement in 2002.
On November 29, 1983 Christ the King Mission was dedicated by Bishop Michael Begley. This date in 1983 was the Feast of Christ the King which is always celebrated on the Sunday before Advent. Christ the King Mission is locatedContinue reading All For The King
On April 21, 1876 Fr. Herman Wolf, O.S.B. and two students arrived at the former Caldwell farm in Gaston County to establish a priory and a school. The new institution was placed under the patronage of Mary, Help of ChristiansContinue reading BIRTH OF BELMONT ABBEY
On 22 February 1994 Most Rev. William Curlin, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C., was appointed third Bishop of Charlotte by Bl. Pope John Paul II. He would serve as Ordinary of the Diocese for over eight years until his retirementContinue reading BISHOP CURLIN’S MOVE SOUTH
On December 14th 1941, Christ the King Church in High Point was dedicated by Bishop Eugene McGuinness. One of the individuals who contributed to the construction of the church was Msgr. (later Archbishop) Fulton J. Sheen, who would eventually becomeContinue reading CHRIST THE KING AND ARCHBISHOP SHEEN
Bishop Eugene McGuinness of the Diocese of Raleigh dedicated St. Benedict the Moor Church in Winston-Salem on September 7, 1941. The church was established by the Franciscans to serve African-American Catholics in the area. Prior to the construction of theContinue reading DEDICATION OF ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR
On April 26, 1906 the Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina, Abbot-Bishop Leo Haid, O.S.B., dedicated St. Leo’s Hospital in Greensboro. Staffed by the Sisters of Charity, this hospital later closed and the building became the home of Notre Dame HighContinue reading DEDICATION OF ST. LEO HOSPITAL
On February 6, 1955 the the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for the first time in Hayesville. The Mass was celebrated in an office above the Hayesville Drug Store by Glenmary priest Fr. Joseph Dean. In 1959 aContinue reading FIRST MASS IN HAYESVILLE
November 4th is the feast of St. Charles Borromeo who served as Archbishop of Milan in the 16th century. The church in Morganton, which was constructed in 1961, is under the patronage of this saint. To the right is aContinue reading FROM MILAN TO MORGANTON
On August 15th, 1980 Bishop Michael Begley canonically established the parish of Holy Family in Clemmons with Rev. Robert Scott, CSP as the first pastor. The new parish was placed under the patronage of the Holy Family largely because 1980Continue reading HOLY FAMILY IN CLEMMONS
On June 17, 1979, Bishop Michael Begley dedicated St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte. St. John Neumann’s parish boundaries were partitioned from the boundaries of Our Lady of the Assumption Church. The new parish not only received about 250 familiesContinue reading FIRST AMERICAN MALE TO BE CANONIZED
On Christmas day in 1983, the first Mass was offered at the second St. Francis Church in Franklin. The original St. Francis of Assisi church was dedicated 30 years earlier by the Ordinary of the Diocese of Charlotte, Bishop VincentContinue reading LARGER CHURCH FOR FRANKLIN
St. Joan of Arc School in Asheville officially opened on September 19, 1927. The school was originally staffed by the Religious of Christian Education; however, the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Divine Providence also served throughout the yearsContinue reading OPENING OF ST. JOHN OF ARC SCHOOL
The Blessed Virgin, under the title “Mother of God”, is the patroness of the Diocese of Charlotte. The feast of Mary, Mother of God falls on January 1st on the Roman Rite Calendar and is a holy day of obligationContinue reading PATRONESS OF THE DIOCESE
Clergy, religious and laity from across the Southeastern USA made a pilgrimage to the Lourdes Grotto Shrine on the campus of Belmont Abbey on March 25, 1908. The pilgrimage honored the 50th anniversary of the appearance of Our Lady inContinue reading PILGRIMAGE TO THE GROTTO
On October 20, 1894 Fr. Jeremiah O’Connell fell asleep in the Lord. Fr. O’Connell was a missionary priest who served Catholic Missions in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia before and after the Civil War. His missionary travels throughout theseContinue reading PRIEST, MISSIONARY, DONOR, AND AUTHOR
On January 1, 1869 Bishop (and future Cardinal) James Gibbons, acquired land on Gold Hill Road in Cabarrus County. This hill-top property became the first location of St. James Church as well as the second Catholic cemetery established in westernContinue reading PROPERTY FOR CONCORD CATHOLIC CHURCH ACQUIRED
Thirty years ago on May 29th, 1983, the first permanent deacons of the Diocese of Charlotte were ordained by Bishop Michael Begley. This first class was composed of 19 men who had successfully completed 3 years of formation.
On October 20, 1969 Msgr. George Lynch was appointed Titular Bishop of Satafi and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh. He was consecrated on January 6, 1970 and retired in 1985. Prior to his consecration as bishop, he servedContinue reading RALEIGH’S AUXILIARY WAS A MOUNTAIN PASTOR
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