The next bishop of Raleigh is from Latin America, like many in his flock
Luis Rafael Zarama's appointment by Pope Francis is another indication of the growth in the number of Hispanic Catholics—especially in the South.
Luis Rafael Zarama. Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Raleigh.
Luis Rafael Zarama, 58, is the first Colombian-born bishop to lead a Roman Catholic diocese in the United States, and the state’s first Hispanic bishop. The Diocese of Raleigh has more Latino and Latina parishioners than any other ethnicity.
“My concern and my only purpose for being there is to serve the church,” Zarama said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re Anglo or Hispanic or Vietnamese or different races.”
His goal is to unite the diocese.
