Advice?: Relocating to North Carolina

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Our family is looking at the possibility of moving to North Carolina. The job would be located in Cary NC. We have 5 children between the ages of 2-9. We are moving from the North East where we have a large Catholic population and know that there are fewer Catholics in NC.

Does anyone have suggestions for a large devout Catholic family relocating? Specifically, we are researching towns/Catholic schools/parishes. Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated.
 
Hello! I work the Cary/Morrisville/Raleigh area Monday through Friday. There is a larger Catholic population than you may assume. Lots, LOTS, of northern transplants here. (CARY = Containment Area for Relocated Yankees) There’s St Michael the Archangel, St Francis’, etc. You’ll have no trouble finding a new home. The majority of Catholics I’ve come across are wonderful people, who are engaging to conversate with. You’ll be fine here.
 
vitaevitae said:
Our family is looking at the possibility of moving to North Carolina. The job would be located in Cary NC. We have 5 children between the ages of 2-9. We are moving from the North East where we have a large Catholic population and know that there are fewer Catholics in NC.

Does anyone have suggestions for a large devout Catholic family relocating? Specifically, we are researching towns/Catholic schools/parishes. Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated.
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I live in Morrisville, work in Cary, so…

St. Michael the Archangel is the big parish in Cary and they have a school. So does St. Mary Magdeline in nearby Apex. St. Andrews is also in Apex, but they do not have a school. Morrisville does not have a parish, but St. Michael’s has mass at one of the high schools in that area. (I expect this will split off in the next few years.) St. Francis is in the Brier Creek area of Raleigh (near 540 and 70) and they also have a school. If you need to use public schools, they are excellent too.

Cary (along with Morrisville and Apex) is a great area for families. Interestingly, the area has a surprising number of larger families (4+). You really can’t go wrong in Cary. There are some very nice, surprisingly reasonably priced neighborhoods in the older central part of Cary, and there are plenty of high dollar subdivisions south, north, and west of town.

Containment Area for Relocated Yankees is a pretty good description (Although there is one stubborn confederate across the street from St. Michael’s who refuses to surrender.) Morrisville has a large foreign born population, especially Indian. Plenty of Catholics all around.
 
I just moved from NC. Even though there are less Catholics by proportion they do seem to be more involved in Church than in some areas up North. I lived in Winston-Salem.

I’m not saying I prefer it in NC. I am just making an observation about the Catholics ther
 
I used to live around there. There are lots of Catholics. Many of the churches are on the more liberal side, so it may take some searching your part if you want a more traditional church. There is also a wonderful Byzantine Catholic church in Cary which you should visit sometime. Good luck!
 
There are really more Catholics down here than you might think. There are a lot of protestants with anti catholic attitudes too…but I just go about my business and when they have a problem with my faith (which isn’t often, I suspect it’s more behind my back), I try to explain it to them.

I have never lived anywhere else but NC and I have always been Catholic. It has never really been much of an issue, to be honest. About the worst thing I get anymore is snide comments about having so many kids, not eating meat, etc…It’s not hard to overlook. *Most *people have enough respect to shut their mouths though…
 
We lived in Raleigh for ten years. Loved it. The only reason we moved back North is to be closer to our families (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc.).

I have a nice story about St. Michael’s in Cary that happened back in the 1980s. When my two daughters were very young, I was involved with Bread for the World, and at that time, St. Michael’s was where a lot of the actual “work” happened. My husband and I were NOT Catholic at that time.

One hot humid day (you get a lot of those in North Carolina!), I drove out to Cary to St. Michael’s with my daughters to do some paperwork for BFTW. I was hot and sweaty and not feeling particularly beautiful–I’m not fond of heat. My daughters were messy, noisy, and full of hi-jinks. The youngest was still in diapers and the oldest was out of diapers, but still in that phase where I was always worried about an “accident.”

When I was finished, I stopped by the office to report on something. Out came a couple of nuns. Both of them were excited to see my daughters, and they came out from behind the desk to give my babies hugs. Both of my daughters were very friendly, especially my older daughter, but my younger daughter was (and still is) a “snuggler.” They were just as excited to see the nuns as the nuns were to see them.

The nuns both expressed such joy in seeing my daughters, and told me over and over how beautiful they were (in spite of the grime and messiness), and when I told them my daughters’ names (Evangeline and Charity), the nuns were enraptured!

By the time I left the office, I was convinced that I had the most beautiful children who had ever been born and that I was the best mother in the world! Those nuns made me and my daughters feel loved and beautiful.

When I look back on it, I think it was one of many events that “prepared” my husband and me to eventually come home to the Catholic Church.

I hope St. Michael’s is still awesome like it was back then!

And I agree with everyone else–you will really love the Triangle Area of Raleigh. Both of my daughters and my husband got started in their ice skating at the Ice House in Cary, North Carolina. I remember that rink with fondness, because they taught the kids that whenever anyone fell, they should stop and ask, “Are you alright?” and not just skate on by. I have never seen that at any other rink in the U.S.
 
Thanks you to everyone for your replies. They are much appreciated.

It took us a while in New England to find a solid Catholic parish with great families who actually live the faith. My company might give us a weekend to “check out” the Cary area. Any suggestion for a parish that fit the description?

God bless !
 
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