Above: Father Tom Tully stands at the corner of New and Middle Streets in New Bern. (NC Catholics file photo 2021.)
Being first has always been important. Just ask any Olympic athlete vying for gold or college basketball team hoping for a top seed in March Madness.
In the Bible, chapter nine of the Book of Mark references order. Verse 35 states, “And (Jesus) sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.’”
Still, being first remains an important benchmark, and Catholics aren’t immune. Neither are historians. The quest for who or what was truly first can be fun, especially if we consider how many types of firsts are available.
When the question is “Where was the first Catholic church in the state?” the answers are many. That’s where the debate begins.
First, let’s consider a little history.
The Diocese of Charleston was established by Pope Pius VII on July 11, 1820. Its first shepherd was Bishop John England, born in Cork, Ireland. At the time of his appointment to the Diocese of Charleston, he was a parish priest in Bandon, a town about 16 miles from Cork. He was consecrated bishop there on September 21, 1820, and arrived in Charleston December 30, 1820.
Bishop England had a large territory to cover, but few Catholics to serve. After visiting Georgia and South Carolina, which were both parts of his diocese at the time, he turned his eyes toward his territory’s northern reaches: North Carolina.
Monsignor Gerald Lewis pointed out that we must differentiate between the first parish, or group of Catholic people, and the first church building.
“As to the first parish, I say that there were five. When Bishop England made his first trip to North Carolina in 1821, he visited Wilmington, New Bern, Washington, Raleigh and Fayetteville in that order,” Monsignor Lewis said. “He set up a vestry in each and appointed one member to call together the others. Therefore, I believe that all five were the ‘first parish.’”
Monsignor Lewis added, “When we speak of the ‘first Catholic Church building,’ Washington and Fayetteville claim the title.”
Oh, those vexing claims of ‘first!’
Monsignor continued, “St. John the Evangelist in Washington was complete, and St. Patrick in Fayetteville was under construction. In 1829, Bishop England called the second Catholic Convention in North Carolina in Fayetteville. Since he knew he would not be back in Fayetteville soon, he blessed the unfinished St. Patrick Church, then traveled to Washington to dedicate the completed St. John the Evangelist Church.”
Not so fast, according to Father Tom Tully, former pastor at St. Paul Church in New Bern.
“When Bishop England came to gather the Catholics in North Carolina [in 1821], New Bern was first,” said Father Tully. “I admit that he visited Wilmington first, but if you read Bishop England’s diary, when he was in Wilmington, he ‘met a few Catholic Portuguese sailors who then returned home.’” Hardly the beginnings of a Catholic parish!
Bishop England’s search for North Carolina Catholics continued.
“He then arrived in New Bern on May 24, 1821. He celebrated Mass and spoke to the people there for 10 days. He generated interest as a European visitor and an experienced preacher and teacher. There wasn’t competition from TV, radio or the internet, so he was a great source of entertainment,” said Father Tully.
At the time, one of the most influential Catholics in America was William Gaston, whose house the bishop stayed in in New Bern. Gaston was a prominent lawyer and judge and the son of a Revolutionary War hero killed by the British. Gaston was a graduate of the new Jesuit school in Washington, D.C., called Georgetown. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in North Carolina, but Catholics weren’t allowed to hold state office. He had been a congressman in the legislature and could serve because his constituents chose him.
For his role in the Supreme Court, he argued his case before that court on being allowed to serve and won the day. His case led to state constitution changes, allowing Christians, not just Protestants, to serve in state office.
Bishop England stayed at William Gaston’s house whenever he came to New Bern. It was at The Gaston House, on the bicentennial of St. Paul in New Bern in 2021, that Father Tully welcomed Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama to the celebration, much as William Gaston welcomed Bishop England on his first trip in 1821.
There’s a strong case that the first established parish was St. Paul in New Bern.
“Old St. Paul’s Church, built in 1841, is the oldest continuously operating and active Catholic Church in North Carolina,” said Father Tully, adding, “St. Paul’s is the original parish of the state by about two months.”
Harry Doody, an expert on the parish’s history at St. Patrick in Fayetteville, offers an alternate perspective.
“On January 30, 1821, Bishop England wrote to John Kelly, a prominent Fayetteville citizen, to plan his trip to North Carolina. He traveled through the state, left New Bern to travel to Washington, North Carolina, and established St. John the Evangelist Parish.
“By the 31st of July, he arrives in Fayetteville,” said Doody, “and spends two weeks there.”
Doody pointed out, “While here, in his journal, the bishop stated, on the 6th of August, ‘I commence a church,’ establishing the first parish in North Carolina!”
Doody continued, “In 1824, Bishop England chairs the first State Catholic Convention in Fayetteville and puts the parish under the protection of St. Patrick. He then returned in 1829 and consecrated a repurposed building he had acquired from John Kelly in 1821 as a church, making the church at St. Patrick’s the first consecrated Catholic church in North Carolina.”
Of course, there is another view from present-day Mother of Mercy, a parish in Washington.
As Monsignor Lewis mentioned, “During (Bishop England’s) visit, he officially established the Catholic Church in Washington. The community began construction on St. John the Evangelist Church on February 11, 1824. Bishop England consecrated St. John the Evangelist Church on March 25, 1829; it was the first purposely built and completed Catholic church in North Carolina.”
So, who is first? It seems like there are enough “firsts” to go around. The exciting history and pedigree of the Catholic Church in North Carolina are a testament to perseverance. These “firsts” established a firm foothold of our faith in the state, and this solid faith tradition continues with us all as North Carolina Catholics.
So … Who’s on, first?
First Catholic Communities/Parishes in NC
Five-way tie between Wilmington, New Bern, Washington, Raleigh and Fayetteville
Source: Monsignor Gerald Lewis, Director of Archives, Diocese of Raleigh, who noted that the newly consecrated bishop who oversaw the state visited all these places in the same trip.
New Bern
Source: Father Tom Tully, former pastor at St. Paul, New Bern, said the bishop may have gone to Wilmington first but he didn’t meet any North Carolina Catholics there, according to his diary. He met the first Catholics in the state in New Bern.
First Catholic church, continuously operational, in NC
St. Paul in New Bern, known today as Old St. Paul
Built 1841 and still active
First consecrated (but not completely constructed) Catholic church in NC
St. Patrick Church, Fayetteville
Year: March 17, 1829
First constructed Catholic church consecrated in NC
St. John the Evangelist Church, Washington
Year: March 25, 1829
Editor's Note: Monsignor Gerald Lewis, who was a diocesan priest for 63 years, was interviewed for this story in the summer of 2024. He died Dec. 16, 2024 as the magazine was going to print.
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