New pastor at Holy Cross Catholic Church makes history

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Durham's Holy Cross Catholic Church made history on Sunday, as Father Pius Wekesa became pastor of the historically Black parish.

"Because I am not only the first diocesan Catholic priest to serve in this community, but the first African Catholic priest," he said before Mass.

"Ordained a Catholic priest in 1995. Arrived in the United States in 2001, Rochester, New York. Relocated to North Carolina in 2005. And this is a new beginning! This is a predominately Black Catholic community, but it has opened its doors to other ethnic communities. You have the Anglo, Hispanic, Haitian and all, together with the Native American."

Father Wekesa also wants to bring more young people into the church.

"A church with no youth is a church with no future," he said. "This is why I want to make sure we invest in the youth."

He also said he hopes his new position inspires some of those young people to consider joining the priesthood as well.