The birth of RTP in the late 1960s brought scores of families to the area, many of whom were Catholic. Msgr. James E. McSweeney, then pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Durham, proposed the formation of a new parish for the flood of newcomers. Immaculate Conception donated 15 acres of land in southwest Durham and Mr. and Mrs. John Gaetano of Orange, Connecticut gave a generous gift of $100,000 to build the new church and rectory. The new parish would bear the name “Holy Infant” to honor John Gaetano's devotion to the Infant of Prague.
October 4, 1970: The Most Reverend Bishop Vincent Waters, then-Bishop of Raleigh, dedicated the new church. Approximately 70 families, primarily from the Parkwood neighborhood in southern Durham, comprised the initial congregation.
August 8, 1981: A lightning strike in the pre-dawn hours sparked a fire that severely damaged the church. The parish now numbered 150 families.
1981 to 1982: Masses were held at Parkwood Elementary School and many parish activities took place in neighboring churches and in parishioners’ homes. It was during this time that the pastor changed the seating arrangement to that of a semi-circle around the altar.
November 21, 1982: Then-Bishop F. Joseph Gossman celebrated the re-dedication of Holy Infant. The rebuilt church now incorporated the new liturgical environment which included semi-circular seating around the altar. The parish now numbered 200 households.
August 14, 2019: The parish broke ground for a new church, chapel and columbarium to meet the needs of the growing parish. The parish now numbers nearly 900 households.