Dear friends in Christ,
Every Sunday across the United States, countless hearts turn toward the altar of God. Some gather in humble chapels that hold a few dozen faithful; others come together in immense sanctuaries that welcome thousands. Both are sacred. Yet, among them, a remarkable few stand as the Top 10 Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA — places where the faith of tens of thousands unites into one voice of prayer.
These Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA are not defined merely by their vast membership or grand structures. They are defined by life — a living faith that pulses through ministries, schools, sacraments, and service. They are the beating heart of Catholic America, where the ancient beauty of the Church meets the modern dynamism of mission.
Each parish tells a story: of growth born of faith, of diversity that enriches unity, and of the enduring power of the Eucharist to gather humanity around Christ. Let us now journey through these great houses of prayer — the top 10 largest Catholic parishes in the United States — to see how they continue to shape the Church’s life today.
1. St. Matthew Catholic Church – Charlotte, North Carolina
Faith that grew from a seed into a forest
The story of St. Matthew Catholic Church is one of extraordinary growth. Founded in 1986 as a small community in Charlotte’s suburbs, it has become widely recognized as the largest Catholic parish in the United States by membership, serving over 10,000 families and welcoming tens of thousands each weekend.
The parish’s vibrancy stems from its deep Eucharistic center. Every Mass, retreat, and ministry flows from that heart. Hundreds of ministries reach the poor, the young, the elderly, and those longing for a renewed encounter with God. Despite its size, St. Matthew has cultivated intimacy through small-group ministries and community outreach — a model for every large parish that seeks to remain a true family in Christ.
It reminds us that size in the Church is not about scale alone, but about souls drawn together in love and service.
2. St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church – Visalia, California
A new light in the Central Valley
Completed in 2023, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church stands as a monumental witness to the Church’s growth in California’s fertile Central Valley. It serves more than 14,000 families, making it one of the Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA.
Its modern design holds over 3,000 worshippers per Mass, a radiant symbol of faith rising from the land. Born from the unification of four nearby parishes, St. Charles embodies a vision of unity — one body, one faith, one mission.
This immense parish has become not just a structure, but a spiritual hub where the working families of the valley find strength, joy, and renewal. In its walls, Christ gathers thousands who till the earth and labor in the fields, showing that His Church is always near to the people.
3. All Saints Catholic Church – Manassas, Virginia
A multitude of faithful hearts
In Northern Virginia, the faithful fill the pews of All Saints Catholic Church, one of the Top 10 Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA, with more than 20,000 members. Its growth reflects the tremendous vitality of the Church in the Washington D.C. metropolitan region.
At All Saints, worship and formation walk hand-in-hand. The parish offers dozens of ministries for families, children, and young adults, alongside a thriving school and perpetual adoration chapel. From morning prayer to evening service projects, the community lives out the Gospel call to holiness — striving, as its name declares, to make saints of ordinary lives.
In a world that often isolates, All Saints reminds us that to belong to a parish is to belong to something eternal — the communion of believers united in Christ.
4. Prince of Peace Catholic Community – Houston, Texas
A mosaic of languages, one Spirit of peace
Among the Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA, Prince of Peace Catholic Community in Houston shines as a beacon of diversity and unity. With more than 8,000 families, its liturgies are celebrated in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, reflecting the rich cultural landscape of Texas Catholicism.
Its ministries extend from catechesis to community outreach, from food drives to youth missions. The name “Prince of Peace” is not simply a title but a mission — to heal divisions and bring hearts together under Christ’s peace. In this parish, one feels the living reality of Pentecost: many tongues, one Spirit, one Church.
5. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church – Plano, Texas
Faith and family in the spirit of America’s first saint
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, serving around 9,000 families, is a cornerstone of faith in the Diocese of Dallas. Named after the first native-born American saint, it embodies her legacy of education, service, and holiness in daily life.
The parish supports vibrant ministries for marriage, youth, and social outreach. Every week, its campus becomes a tapestry of activity — classes, prayer groups, and service projects, all flowing from the same Eucharistic center.
It stands as a model of what large parish life can be: organized yet personal, immense yet tender, faithful yet forward-looking.
6. St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church – Roswell, Georgia
Evangelization in the spirit of a missionary martyr
Named for Saint Peter Chanel — the missionary priest martyred for bringing the Gospel to Oceania — this Georgia parish carries the same fire of faith. St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church, with over 7,000 families, is among the Top 10 Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA, and one of the fastest-growing in the Southeast.
The parish blends reverent liturgy with innovative evangelization: small-group discipleship, adult formation, and outreach to the unchurched. The result is a thriving spiritual community that demonstrates how large parishes can remain mission-driven rather than maintenance-bound.
7. Prince of Peace Catholic Church – Taylors, South Carolina
Beauty, liturgy, and tradition in harmony
In the Diocese of Charleston, Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors stands out for its faithful growth and liturgical reverence. Among the Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA, it offers both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Mass, drawing thousands of families who desire beauty, reverence, and truth.
Here, Gregorian chant and family life coexist, showing that when the liturgy is celebrated with love, it attracts hearts hungry for God’s presence. Its flourishing ministries in education and charity extend the grace of the altar into the streets of South Carolina.
8. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church – Stillwater, Oklahoma
Rural growth, faithful witness
Nestled in Oklahoma’s rolling plains, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church serves over 4,500 families, including many students from Oklahoma State University. Though smaller in setting than others, it belongs rightly among the Top 10 Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA because of its astonishing growth and outreach.
Its ministry bridges generations and walks of life — farmers, professors, young families — each finding in Christ their common home. The parish demonstrates that size and spirit are not confined to cities: where faith is sown, the harvest is abundant.
9. Holy Family Catholic Church – Orlando, Florida
Many nations, one family of God
Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando welcomes more than 5,000 families and countless visitors who bring the world to its doors. Located near one of the nation’s busiest destinations, it mirrors the universality of the Church — Filipino, Hispanic, Caribbean, African, European, and American voices blending into one song of praise.
Its life revolves around the Eucharist, perpetual adoration, and service to the poor. In the shadow of entertainment and distraction, Holy Family offers a different kind of joy — the joy of belonging to God. It is one of Florida’s and the nation’s Largest Catholic Parishes, reminding all who enter that true beauty is found in worship.
10. St. Anne Catholic Community – Houston, Texas
Heritage, grace, and renewal in the city’s heart
Founded nearly a century ago, St. Anne Catholic Community remains one of the Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA, serving thousands of households in Houston’s urban center. Its historic church, surrounded by oak trees and city streets, radiates timeless peace amid the noise of daily life.
Here, generations meet: families who have worshipped there for decades kneel beside newcomers drawn by faith and beauty. The parish’s work in social justice, education, and liturgical life reflects a mature, steady faith — one that has endured and grown through every era of the Church in America.
🌿 The Meaning of Greatness in Parish Life
When we speak of the Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA, we are not glorifying size but recognizing vitality. Each of these top 10 parishes reflects a living reality: that faith still grows, that the Eucharist still draws, that Christ still reigns in the hearts of His people.
Large parishes carry special blessings — and challenges. They can serve thousands, educate generations, and reach wide communities through social action. Yet their calling remains the same as every parish: to bring each soul face-to-face with Christ.
It is not numbers that sanctify a parish, but love. Love turns a congregation into a family. Love transforms vast sanctuaries into homes of grace. Love is what keeps the Church alive.
🕊️ Lessons from the Top 10 Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA
- Community transcends crowd. The largest parishes succeed because they nurture small communities of belonging within the greater whole.
- The Eucharist unites. Every one of these parishes builds its life around the altar, where thousands become one in Christ.
- Diversity is strength. America’s Catholic faith thrives when many cultures, languages, and generations share the same faith.
- Service defines greatness. The largest parishes are also among the most generous in serving the poor and supporting missions.
- Faith remains fruitful. In a secular age, the growing size of these parishes proves that the hunger for God still runs deep in the human soul.
🙏 Reflect and Pray
Lord Jesus Christ,
You gather Your Church in great cities and quiet towns alike.
Bless the Top 10 Largest Catholic Parishes in the USA,
and every community where Your people come to worship.
May their numbers become a witness of love,
their ministries a fountain of mercy,
their size a sign of the boundless reach of Your grace.
Teach us that whether our parish is great or small,
we are one Body, one Spirit, one faith in You.
Let our hearts be enlarged not by pride, but by charity —
that every soul we meet may find in us
a reflection of Your infinite love.
Amen.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
