Bishop Emeritus Peter JugisCHARLOTTE — A new endowment honors Bishop Emeritus Peter Jugis and his many years of service to the Diocese of Charlotte – 41 as a priest and 21 as its bishop.
The Bishop Peter J. Jugis Endowment was announced Oct. 24 in conjunction with the 21st anniversary of his ordination as bishop, which took place on Oct. 24, 2003.
The $50,000 endowment has been funded with $25,000 from the diocese and $25,000 from the Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte. A decision has not yet been made on what the endowment will fund.
“Bishop Jugis has served this diocese faithfully for so many years, always putting Jesus first as he carried out the work of the Church,” said Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., who was ordained the fifth Bishop of Charlotte in May upon Bishop Jugis’ retirement. “This endowment will continue that legacy of discipleship and have many impacts on the life of the diocese – a fitting tribute to him and the people of the diocese he loves.”
Bishop Jugis was surprised at the news: “I am humbled by this endowment and grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of this diocese,” he said. “I hope it will be put to work for our local Church and help people grow in holiness.”
The endowment recognizes Bishop Jugis, a native of Charlotte, for his two decades of shepherding the diocese through unprecedented growth as its fourth and longest serving bishop.
In 2003, the diocese was still considered “mission territory,” serving a small Catholic population across its 46 counties. The number of Catholics grew rapidly, fueled by an influx of Hispanic Catholics and others who moved to the western half of North Carolina.
During his tenure, the Catholic population more than doubled to an estimated 530,000, nearly half of them Hispanic. Bishop Jugis, who speaks both English and Spanish, prioritized Hispanic ministry throughout the diocese and made Spanish language skills a key component of priestly formation.
Fifty priests and 65 deacons were ordained thanks to his fervent promotion of vocations. In 2016, Bishop Jugis founded St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly to cultivate local priests from among the parishes they might one day serve. The college seminary currently has 20 seminarians in formation.
He elevated six missions or ministry centers to parishes, consecrated 22 churches and saw the diocesan school system expand to 20 schools.
His ardent devotion to the Eucharist led him to establish the annual Diocese of Charlotte Eucharistic Congress in 2005, which now attracts more than 10,000 people to Charlotte each year and is one of the largest such events in the country.
Anyone who would like to honor Bishop Jugis may contribute to this endowment fund by writing a check to: Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte, Attn: Gina Rhodes, Director of Planned Giving, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203. Please note on the memo line: “Bishop Jugis Endowment Fund.”
For questions, please contact Gina Rhodes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 704-370-3364.
— Christina Lee Knauss