The Catholic diocese's new bishop, in his own words
Bishop Peter Jugis plans to retire in May due to health concerns; new bishop is a Franciscan priest who currently serves as a pastor near Atlanta
This is an ONLINE EXTRA from The Charlotte Ledger. Stay in-the-know about Charlotte by subscribing to our newsletter. Free and paid versions available (details here):
In his own words: the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte’s new bishop, Father Michael Martin, on Pope Francis, declining church attendance and his leadership style
Father Michael Martin (left) will be the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte’s new bishop, after current Bishop Peter Jugis (right) retires in May.
by Cristina Bolling
The Catholic Diocese of Charlotte announced a new bishop Tuesday, as current Bishop Peter Jugis prepares to step down after 20 years leading the diocese due to health concerns from a kidney ailment.
Father Michael T. Martin, a Franciscan priest, will be installed at a ceremony May 29 at St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville. Martin, 62, now serves as pastor of a parish in Jonesboro, Ga., south of Atlanta. He’s a native of Baltimore and served as director of the Duke Catholic Center from 2010 to 2022.
The two weeks since Easter have been big ones for the diocese. Last week, leaders announced plans to build a new cathedral, and Tuesday’s announcement of a new bishop will no doubt usher in some changes for the diocese, as bishops serve as the top leader over all the churches, ministries and Catholic schools in a district.
Jugis has been known to be a conservative church leader. In 2004, he joined two other southern bishops in issuing a statement banning communion for politicians with a pro-choice abortion stance. He’s been a supporter of the Latin Mass in the diocese, and last December he issued an order prohibiting the use of digital projection screens during Mass “so worshipers can focus on the liturgy without distraction.”
Some Charlotte Catholics said Tuesday they expected that Martin may be less conservative in his approach due to his background as a Franciscan and the diversity of some of his previous roles in the church.
The Diocese of Charlotte, which encompasses the entire western half of North Carolina, contains 530,000 church members, 92 parishes and missions and 20 schools serving 8,100 students.
Jugis, 67, and Martin appeared at a press conference Tuesday morning to announce the leadership change.
Martin is a Conventual Franciscan, which means he is part of an order founded by St. Francis of Assisi in 1209. Conventual Franciscans wear grey habits and a rope with three knots symbolizing their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Franciscan priests serve the Catholic church in a variety of ministries including as parish priests, campus ministers, educators, administrators and advocates for the poor and marginalized.
Martin seemed friendly and at ease as he spoke with members of the media Tuesday. Here is a sampling of his remarks, very lightly edited for clarity: