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Diocese of Raleigh

The Diocese of Raleigh, a suffragan diocese of the Latin Rite, is an active diocese encompassing the eastern 54 counties of North Carolina in the United States. Founded in 1924 by Pope Pius XI, it is led by Bishop Luis R. Zarama as of 2017. As part of the Province of Atlanta, the diocese serves a diverse Catholic community of over 230,000 across 79 parishes and 29 missions. A notable aspect is its annual Eucharistic Congress, which drew over 3,000 participants in 2024, fostering vibrant faith in a growing region.


Stored: Diocese of Raleigh


Diocese: Diocese of Raleigh
Status: Active
Rite: Latin Rite
Type: Diocese
Ecclesiastical Province: Province of Atlanta
Suffragan Dioceses:
Metropolitan Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Atlanta
Country: United States
Region: North Carolina
Bishop: Luis R. Zarama
Website: https://dioceseofraleigh.org
Newspaper: https://www.ncrcatholic.org
Catholic Percentage: 5.0%
Catholic Elementary Schools: 17
Catholic High Schools: 3
Deaneries: 8
Priests: 150
Existence: 1924–
Predecessor Diocese:
Successor Diocese: Diocese of Charlotte
Catholic Hospitals: 2
Rating: 3.2

Establishment

The Diocese of Raleigh was established on December 3, 1924, by Pope Pius XI, encompassing the entire state of North Carolina to serve the growing Catholic population, particularly immigrants and missionaries in a Protestant-majority area. It was created as a direct diocese without a predecessor, initially under the administration of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.[1]

History

Early Years

Founded in 1924 under Bishop William J. Hafey, the diocese initially served a small Catholic population across North Carolina. Hafey focused on building parishes and schools in a region with limited Catholic presence.[2]

Modern Era

In 1972, the creation of the Diocese of Charlotte reduced Raleigh’s territory to 54 eastern counties. The diocese has since grown due to migration and economic development, particularly in the Research Triangle, reaching over 230,000 Catholics by 2025.[3]

Geography

The Diocese of Raleigh spans 54 counties in eastern North Carolina, including:

It is part of the Province of Atlanta.[4]

Mother Church

Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh, a Gothic Revival structure completed in 1924, serves as the diocese’s mother church. It is a historic landmark hosting major diocesan liturgies.[5]

Leadership

Current Bishop

Luis R. Zarama has served as bishop since August 29, 2017. A Colombian-born priest, he emphasizes evangelization and Hispanic ministry.[6]

Auxiliary Bishops

The Diocese of Raleigh currently has no auxiliary bishops.[2]

Past Bishops

Name Tenure Notes
William J. Hafey 1925–1937 First bishop; established diocese; transferred to Diocese of Scranton.
Eugene J. McGuinness 1937–1944 Transferred to Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa.
Vincent S. Waters 1945–1974 Oversaw growth; died in office.
F. Joseph Gossman 1975–2006 Retired.
Michael F. Burbidge 2006–2016 Transferred to Diocese of Arlington.

[2]

Theological and Cultural Orientation

The Diocese of Raleigh maintains a balanced approach (rating: 3.2). It offers Latin Masses monthly in select parishes (rating: 3), balances traditional teachings like pro-life advocacy with social justice outreach such as immigration and poverty programs (rating: 3), and is led by Bishop Zarama, who promotes evangelization with a neutral stance (rating: 3.5).[7]

Statistics

The diocese covers 32,182 square miles (83,351 km²), serves approximately 230,000 registered Catholics across 79 parishes and 29 missions, and has a total population of about 4,600,000.[8]

Religious Communities

Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia

The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia operate schools and catechetical programs. Address: 100 Europa Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27517.[9][10]

Jesuits

The Jesuits support parish ministries and educational initiatives. Address: 808 Spring Forest Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609.[9][11]

Parishes

Main article: List of parishes in Diocese of Raleigh
Diocese of Raleigh

No results

This map created from a Cargo query (Purge)

The Diocese of Raleigh serves 79 parishes and 29 missions across 8 deaneries, covering eastern North Carolina. It includes diverse parishes with Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean-language Masses.[12]

Mission and Services

Catholic Education

The diocese manages 20 schools:

School Name City Type Website
Annunciation Catholic School Havelock Elementary Annunciation
Cathedral School Raleigh Elementary Cathedral School
Immaculate Conception Catholic School Durham Elementary Immaculate Conception
Immaculata Catholic School Durham Elementary Immaculata
Infant of Prague Catholic School Jacksonville Elementary Infant of Prague
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School Raleigh Elementary Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Rocky Mount Elementary Our Lady of Perpetual Help
St. Ann Catholic School Fayetteville Elementary St. Ann
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School Wake Forest Elementary St. Catherine
St. Egbert Catholic School Morehead City Elementary St. Egbert
St. Joseph Catholic School Fayetteville Elementary St. Joseph
St. Mary Catholic School Goldsboro Elementary St. Mary
St. Mary Catholic School Wilmington Elementary St. Mary
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School Cary Elementary St. Michael
St. Patrick Catholic School Fayetteville Elementary St. Patrick
St. Paul Catholic School New Bern Elementary St. Paul
St. Peter Catholic School Greenville Elementary St. Peter
Cardinal Gibbons High School Raleigh High School Cardinal Gibbons
John Paul II Catholic High School Greenville High School John Paul II
St. Thomas More Academy Raleigh High School St. Thomas More

[13]

Community Outreach

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh provides immigration services, disaster relief, and food assistance, serving over 30,000 people annually.[14]

Notable Events or Figures

  • In 2024, the diocese’s Eucharistic Congress, held in Raleigh, drew over 3,000 participants, emphasizing Eucharistic devotion.
  • Bishop Vincent S. Waters, who served from 1945 to 1974, significantly expanded the diocese’s infrastructure during a period of growth.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "History". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/about/history. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Diocese of Raleigh". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/drale.html. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  3. ↑ "History". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/about/history. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  4. ↑ "Parish Directory". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/parishes. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  5. ↑ "Cathedral History". https://sacredheartcathedral.org/history. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  6. ↑ "Bishop Luis R. Zarama". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/bishop-zarama. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  7. ↑ "About the Diocese". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/about. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  8. ↑ "Diocesan Statistics". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/about/statistics. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Religious Communities". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/religious-communities. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  10. ↑ "Home". https://nashvilledominican.org. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  11. ↑ "Home". https://jesuits.org. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  12. ↑ "Parish Directory". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/parishes. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  13. ↑ "School Directory". https://dioceseofraleigh.org/schools. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  14. ↑ "Our Services". https://catholiccharitiesraleigh.org. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 
  15. ↑ "2024 Eucharistic Congress". https://www.ncrcatholic.org/2024-eucharistic-congress. Retrieved 2025-06-05. 

External Links

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