Bishop Peter Jugis visits Divine Redeemer Church in Boonville.CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis has fostered diversity and inclusion of Catholics from all backgrounds and cultures, especially Spanish-speaking Catholics, as well as welcomed and supported communities of other Catholic rites in the universal Church.
Roman rite Masses are offered regularly in English, Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Korean and Hmong languages, with periodic Masses said in Igbo (Nigerian) and Polish. The diocese has also embraced and journeyed 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 that have planted churches in the western half of North Carolina.
As a faith community that welcomes and supports diversity, Bishop Jugis calls 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.”
Bishop Jugis, who speaks English, Italian and Spanish, has also emphasized the importance of ministering to the diocese’s increasingly diverse flock.
Now, two-thirds of the diocese’s churches offer Spanish or bilingual Masses. There are robust Spanish faith formation and marriage prep programs. Every seminarian must learn to speak Spanish. And the diocese’s Hispanic Ministry has a full-time vicar and 10 staff coordinators who serve the diocese’s vicariates.
Read more from the Catholic News Herald archives about these vibrant and faith-filled communities:
- St. Joseph Vietnamese Church celebrates anniversary
- Charlotte diocese renews partnership with diocese in Cameroon
Bishop Jugis, I want to thank you for all you have done for us as a Hispanic ministry. We recognize the greatness that you have brought into our diocese and in working with our Hispanic ministry, I have to say that they are very grateful to you, especially because you bring to us that great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and that personal way that you live that relationship with the Lord. You’ve helped us to realize that it is not about our ministry, it’s not about how much we do but about how much we live in that relationship with the Lord.
— Father Julio Dominguez, Vicar of Hispanic Ministry, Diocese of Charlotte, from Bishop Jugis' 20th anniversary special section
Explore Bishop Jugis' contributions to the Diocese of Charlotte:
Bishop Peter Jugis guided the diocese through unprecedented growth
Bishop Jugis created six parishes for the diocese
Bishop Jugis brings celebration of the Eucharist to diocese
Bishop Jugis grew ministries and services through stewardship
Diocese marks a half-century of serving faithful
Bishop Jugis led the diocese through the aftermath of abuse revelations