In response to the growing number of Catholic families in the Denver, North Carolina area, Bishop Michael J. Begley established Holy Spirit Mission in 1979.  The first Mass was held at St. Peter-by-the-Lake Episcopal Church on March 3, 1979.  Fr. Carlo Tarasi, pastor of St. Dorothy’s Catholic Church in Lincolnton celebrated our first Mass attended by 65 people.

For the first nine years Masses were held at St. Peter-by-the-Lake where the congregation grew as well as the determination to have our own church.  During that time the mission was served by Fr. Tarasi, Fr. Conrad Kimbrough, Fr. John Parsons, Fr. Cecil Tice, Fr. Charles Rooks and occasionally monks from Belmont Abbey. 

In 1987, Fr. Rooks made the commitment to move from St. Peter-by-the-Lake to the East Lincoln Optimist Club building.  When this occurred, Holy Spirit Catholic Mission grew to over 100 families, which hastened the desire for our own church.

In 1988 the congregation began the search for property for a church site.  About 15 sites in the Denver and Triangle areas were investigated without success.  By 1988 the church, which began with 20 people, had grown to nearly 250 members. When Lincoln County declared the Triangle School and surrounding property “surplus”, this site was considered.  In May of 1988, Holy Spirit joined with the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte to bid on the property and was granted the 6.5 acres and the 7,300 square foot school.

After the purchase of the building by Holy Spirit, it was renovated during the summer and fall of 1988 and through 1989 into a church with a beautiful sanctuary, foyer, offices, classrooms and living and social areas.  A new roof, restrooms, drywall, carpet and heating and air conditioning systems were installed.  The old school auditorium was transformed into a worship area for 230 people.  The first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day, 1988 by Fr. Rooks with a table for an altar and without pews.

After nearly a year of cleaning, painting, renovating and praying, the congregation celebrated near completion of the new house of worship.  At the time only one wing still needed to be renovated.  The Most Reverend John F. Donoghue, DD, Bishop of Charlotte, held the dedication of the church on May 15, 1989. “The dedication of a Catholic Church is almost like a baptism of the building,” Fr. Rooks said.  The Bishop very lavishly poured oil over the altar, and by doing so, set it aside especially for worship.

The school’s auditorium, unused for two years, is now a light-filled spacious 2,500 square foot sanctuary with a soaring ceiling.  Above the altar at the roof’s apex, a stained glass wedge is set into the wall depicting the descent of a dove.  Rustic cross beams, discovered when the room’s false ceiling was removed, have been stained a soft brown. The beams that had supported the stage were crafted into a roughly hewn cross with a corpus that provides the focal point at the altar.  Rows of burgundy cushioned pews line the sanctuary.  Casement windows were replaced with white bordered stained glass panes, which represent events in the life of Christ and allow sunlight to filter in.

In June of 1989 Bishop Donoghue transferred the care of Holy Spirit Church to the pastor of St. Therese in Mooresville.  Until that time the mission had been a part of St. Dorothy’s parish in Lincolnton.  Fr. William Shean, S.J. was assigned to Holy Spirit as of September 1 of that year and resided at St. Therese.  Fr. Shean was assisted by Fr. Frank McManamin, who also was to help in other areas of the Diocese as needed.  The finances and the operation of the mission parish would be as distinct as possible so that the mission could develop rapidly to the point where it could be a viable parish.

In November of 1989, after years of petitioning, the congregation of Holy Spirit finally received the answer to its prayers with the assignment of the first full-time pastor, Monsignor Thomas Burke.  Monsignor Burke came to Denver after a 16-month mission assignment in the Virgin Islands.  He set up residence in the newly remodeled apartment within the church building.

Since the dedication of our church, Fr. Charles Rooks, Fr. William Kelley SJ, Msgr. Thomas Burke, Fr. John Tuller, Fr. Conrad Kimbrough, Fr. James Collins, Fr. Peter Jugis, Fr. James Byer, Fr. Joseph Ayathupadam and Fr. Carmen Malacari have served our parish.

On May 31, 1998, Bishop William G. Curlin officially designated Holy Spirit as a parish.  With the announcement, Bishop Curlin presented Fr. Jim Collins a framed declaration establishing the new parish’s boundaries.  This official document, which hangs in the church foyer, outlines the 112 square mile boundary of the parish.  At the time 260 households comprised the Holy Spirit Church family which is in the Gastonia Vicariate.

In July 1998 a new rectory was purchased and furnished.  It is located about 3.7 miles south of the church off Highway 16. 

Parish Activity Center

As the result of a Diocesan study (1998) and a parish survey (1999), plans were made for a Parish Activity Center.  On December 7, 2003, ground was broken for a 19,909 square foot activity center.  The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Peter J. Jugis with Father Joseph Ayathupadam, Pastor, and Rev. Deacon Dick Kauth, participating.  The Parish Activity Center became a reality with the dedication by Bishop Jugis on September 10, 2005.  The initial Faith Formation classes began the same month.

After six years as our Pastor, Father Joseph Ayathupadam retired in June of 2006, and Father Carmen Malacari became our new pastor assisted by Permanent Deacon Jim Atkinson. 

Our parish continued to grow and our ministerial needs increased. In January of 2008 Sister Patricia Ann Pepitone join our Pastoral Staff as a Pastoral Associate. However, that staff position was eliminated in February 2009.

As of November 2008 our parish has 800 registered families. With God’s help and guidance, the members of Holy Spirit Catholic Church will continue to fulfill its mission statement and touch each others lives as well as the lives of others, in and around the parish community.