Holy Cross Catholic Church was founded in 1939 by the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus as one of North Carolina's first African-American Catholic congregations.[1] The congregation had a rectory constructed in 1942, using one room as a chapel.[1] A sanctuary was built in 1953 at 1400 South Alston Avenue.[1]
In 1996, a walk-out was organized by Latino parishioners at the church, who criticized resistance to the arrival of Latino immigrants in the community.[2]
In 2006, the congregation sold their land to North Carolina Central University, which was developing around the church, and moved the church to the corner of Fayetteville Street and Pekoe Avenue.[1] The NCCU School of Nursing was built on the church's original site.[1] The congregation later left their original building, which is now owned by the university and was renamed Centennial Chapel in 2010, and purchased a new lot on South Alston Avenue.[3] Since 2014, the church has been run by the Franciscan Friars Conventual from Our Lady of the Angels Province in Maryland.[4][5]
In July 2021, Fr. Pius Wekesa was appointed as pastor of the church, becoming the first African Catholic priest, and the first diocesan priest, to serve the congregation.[6]
