Catholic friars take faith to Charlotte’s bar scene
In unexpected places, the priests say people are searching for meaning
The following article appeared in the December 15, 2025, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
Over IPAs in South End bars, a group of Catholic friars is reinventing evangelism aimed at Gen Z and millennials
by Maggie Fipps
It’s a typical Friday night at Pins Mechanical in South End. An overwhelming bass beat keeps the dancing and the volume steady.
An older woman in her 50s enjoys her drink with a date, but out of the corner of her eye, a flash of simple brown fabric and a rope cord belt catches her eye.
Surprised, she turns to see Fathers Tito Serrano, Casey Cole and Jason Damon — three Franciscan friars in their early 30s — enrobed in their traditional dress.
“Is this a joke?” the woman said.
No, it’s not an elaborate prank. No, they’re not cosplaying as Assassin’s Creed characters. And yes, they can have alcohol — their drink of choice is an IPA.
“We’re Catholics, not Baptists,” Cole said with a laugh. “We basically invented beer.”
The three friars moved to Charlotte six months ago with a specific goal: to reach the thriving young population with the Gospel and to help people find a relationship with God. The jump was also made easier by an invite from the new diocese bishop, Father Michael Martin, a fellow Franciscan.
According to religion research organization Barna, millennials and Gen Z are now attending church more than their older counterparts — bucking the norm. In a city where over a third of the population is in their 20s and 30s, the fathers see an opportunity to win back a generation that’s increasingly interested in church.
“Far more people are outside of the church than in it, and they are not coming back on their own,” Cole said in his YouTube video announcing the move.
Hence their creative evangelism strategy. You can find the friars in all of the most unexpected places — Goldies, Pins Mechanical, Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. They don’t have to do much for people to approach them. Their robes are a walking billboard.
“Ultimately, the goal is to spread the Gospel, let them know that they are loved and meet them where they are, wherever that is,” Damon said.
Their ministry is called “SEARCH,” which stands for “Seek, Encounter, Accompany, Renew, Convert and Heal.” Cole said their goal is to move each individual they meet to the next step of that acronym, whether they are curious about the spiritual world or want to take a step toward joining the church.
In their first six months, they spent many hours and steps just exploring where young people congregate. They have their own bar ratings — not based on the cocktails, but on how many spiritual conversations they spark. They say Goldies is a good spot for engaging with people, while Pins Mechanical can be hit or miss.
Cole, who grew up in North Carolina, said that a few well-meaning Southern street preachers got under his skin. That’s why the friars usually sit back and let people come to them. Mostly, they want to provide a ministry of presence — not pushy, just patiently listening to people in need.
Like the man who walked out of his uptown office building during the lunch rush. In the midst of people crossing to get to Amelie’s French Bakery & Cafe or Chex Grill and Wings, he spotted the friars at a table with a simple sign: “Ask us anything.” He approached and let the friars into his pain.
“My best friend just died this week,” he said. “I’m Jewish, and he’s Christian. How do I know he’s OK?”
Or the 35-year-old veteran who approached them at the bar, ribbing them good-naturedly.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
The friars shared their mission, and a look of realization washed over his face.
“Are you here for me?” he asked, this time his tone different. The man immediately crumpled in tears, and the friars listened to his story and prayed over him.
“There’s a healing aspect of that as well,” Cole said. “He’s not an instant conversion. But for us, evangelization is a process, not an event.”
They’re also on a mission to unite young Catholics in Charlotte, many of whom left the church for one reason or another, only to realize they had a deep longing to return to God.
Through events like Brews and Good News, a Bible study over beer, the fathers said they hope to send more young evangelists into places they can’t go, like offices at Bank of America or Truist.
Ultimately, in a world where people are searching for meaning and purpose, the fathers say they want to present the beauty of truth and tradition found in the Catholic church.
Let’s go back to that woman at the bar. She brushed the friars off, and sensing her discomfort, they walked away. But on a closer look, she had tears in her eyes. Maybe that unexpected interaction in an unexpected place prompted her to think deeper — unearthing the memories of a faith long lost.
“They are searching,” Serrano said. “They’re looking for something, and we don’t pretend to have all the answers. We just want to walk with them while they’re asking.”
Maggie Fipps is a freelance writer. Reach her at mtfipps639@gmail.com.
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