Bishop Peter Jugis leads Benediction during the Holy Hour of the Diocese of Charlotte Eucharistic Congress. He founded the Eucharistic Congress in 2005, inspired by then Pope John Paul II's “Year of the Eucharist” and invitation to Catholics to reflect on and deepen their devotion to the Eucharist.
CHARLOTTE — Started in 2005 by Bishop Peter Jugis, the Eucharistic Congress now attracts more than 10,000 people to Charlotte each year to celebrate the Eucharist as the source and the summit of the Catholic faith – one of the largest events of its kind in the United States. It has become a “family reunion” of sorts for Catholics sprawled across the diocese’s 20,470 square miles from Greensboro, to Charlotte, to Asheville and beyond, and it is one of the bishop’s signature legacies.
The Eucharistic Congress features a Eucharistic procession of thousands of people praying, singing and proclaiming their Catholic faith through the streets of uptown Charlotte. It also offers fellowship, talks by compelling speakers, shopping for religious art and sacramentals – as well as a Eucharistic Holy Hour and closing Mass that fill the Charlotte Convention Center, presided over each year by Bishop Jugis.
“It’s a great experience to be at the Eucharistic Congress surrounded by our Catholic family of all different backgrounds and nationalities,” Frances Liberto, a parishioner of St. Mark in Huntersville, said at the 2023 Eucharistic Congress. “I’m so grateful to Bishop Jugis for starting it, and for his quiet and persistent leadership.”
Bishop Jugis credits the Eucharistic Congress and its underlying focus on the Eucharist for fueling people’s faith, support and participation in the Church.
“The Congress shows us that the Eucharist brings us together and makes us one in Christ,” he has said. “Strong faith in the Eucharist means a strong local Church, and this strong faith in the Eucharistic Presence of Christ is important for our vitality as the holy people of God.”
Explore Catholic News Herald coverage of the Eucharistic Congress and its impacts:
One of the things that I think has marked his 20 years of service as a bishop is his joy. Obviously, he's a quiet person, but when you see Bishop Jugis with people, there's just a joy that shows up on his face, and the Eucharistic Congress is the perfect example of that. The Eucharistic Congress is really for all of us a homecoming. It's where we come to revitalize and to get reconnected and to remind ourselves of why we're doing all this. There's good news that Jesus Christ is here in Charlotte and wants to minister to anyone who will open their heart to Him.
— Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville and Diocese of Charlotte judicial vicar, 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 has fostered diversity and inclusion of all Catholics
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
Bishop Jugis steered the Charlotte diocese through the COVID-19 pandemic
Bishop Jugis creates St. Joseph College Seminary, impacts vocations for decades