Diocese marks a half-century of serving faithful

Bishop Peter Jugis blesses the Marian Statue during the opening Mass of the anniversary year. The statue traveled on a pilgrimage across the diocese during the 50th anniversary year.CHARLOTTE — In 2022, Bishop Peter Jugis led the diocesan-wide celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Charlotte with the theme he chose himself: “Faith More Precious Than Gold.”

The diocese's 50th anniversary was a year of faith, thanksgiving, charity, and prayer and devotion. Bishop Jugis, the first native son to serve as Bishop of Charlotte and the diocese’s longest-serving bishop, inaugurated the anniversary celebration exactly 50 years from the date of the diocese’s founding in 1972.

In his homily from the anniversary opening Mass, Bishop Jugis noted that the theme for the diocese’s 50th anniversary – “Faith More Precious Than Gold” – comes from 1 Peter 1:7. In it, St. Peter encourages people to rejoice in their faith, considering it a gift “more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire.” The connection between the diocese’s golden anniversary and the Scripture verse describing our faith as more valuable than gold is meaningful, he noted.

The anniversary year was also a “Year of Thanksgiving to God” for His faithful love through all these years, blessing the amazing growth of the Charlotte diocese.

Celebrations during the diocese’s golden anniversary year included a diocese-wide Marian statue pilgrimage that traversed western North Carolina, hundreds of “50 Acts of Charity” initiatives by parishes and schools, family-friendly events, and historical documentaries of the Church in western North Carolina. Parishes across the diocese also held their own Holy Hours and Masses – imparting similar aspirations – to recognize and close out the 50-year milestone.

Look back at the diocese's 50th anniversary year:

Explore 50 years of history; 50 acts of charity

Coverage from the year 'Faith More Precious Than Gold'

Bishop Jugis closes out 50th anniversary year, announces patroness

One thing that Bishop Jugis is really fantastic about is being very intentional and prepared about what he has to say and how he wants to bring that to people. That's especially important to the military. I'm a military officer in addition to being a priest. There's a right way to bring across an important message, and there's no more important message than the Gospel.

— Father Darren Balkey, U.S. Navy chaplain and parochial vicar, St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte, from Bishop Jugis' 20th anniversary special section