Shrine of Christ the King

The Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

Press Releases

Shrine of Christ the King: the Why and How

Restoration Newsletter

Details on the Restoration of this Historic Landmark

Fox News Report on our Chapel

December 2006

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Directions to Shrine

Just south of the University of Chicago lies the national American headquarters of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Here, by gracious permission of His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, the Institute has established the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, canonically erected on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, June 23, 2006.

In late 2003, His Eminence entrusted St. Gelasius Church in the south-side neighborhood of Woodlawn to the care of the Institute of Christ the King. Formerly “St. Clara”, this majestic eighty-year-old edifice was built by friars of the Calced Carmelite Order who established there the first National Shrine of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. With the gradual decline of the neighborhood, the dwindling of the congregation, and vicissitudes such as a fire in 1976 that well-nigh destroyed the interior of the church, St. Gelasius was eventually shut and in peril of being demolished. However, following the success of the Institute of Christ the King in beautifully restoring St. Mary’s Church in Wausau, Wisconsin – thanks to Divine Providence manifested through the generosity of donors -- Cardinal George has entrusted to the Institute the task of re-opening St. Gelasius for public worship.

The neighborhood of Woodlawn, since the early 1990s, has been steadily on the road to a remarkable recovery from its interim history of gangs and dilapidation. The former St. Gelasius, nestled in these improving immediate surroundings, stands only one mile away from the influential University of Chicago, where gifted minds and often searching souls are trained and groomed to lead society as professors, business executives, lawyers and professionals. What most propitious ground upon which to erect a shrine dedicated to Christ the King Sovereign Priest, He Who not only gained redemption for each individual soul through His Sacrifice on Calvary, but also Who has a Divine prerogative of rule over human society in general. At this Shrine of Christ the King, his Sovereignty, Majesty, and Divine Mercy will be made manifest through the beauty of the Classical Latin Liturgy and the efficacy of the Sacraments, administered in the extraordinary form of the Latin Rite, the Classical Tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.

The church's interior will be remodeled according to early Baroque churches in Rome, matching the lines of its exterior. Thanks to a generous loan, most of the urgently needed exterior work has been completed -- roof replacement, tuck pointing, exterior surface cleaning, and repair of the tower. The next phase is the installation of completely new mechanicals, which all have to be replaced: electric wiring, pluming, bathrooms, the HVAC, etc. With this infrastructure in place, it will be possible to use the church on occasion, until the interior design is completed. Plans have already been drawn, and $2,950,000 must be raised in order to accomplish this phase.

Because of the magnitude of the project, it is anticipated that the work of restoration of the shrine will take two to three years; at an eestimated cost of $7,350,000, all of which must be raised by the Institute of Christ the King. We count on your prayers and generous support so that this Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest may be completed and become a center from which the glory and beauty of the Traditional Latin Liturgy may reach countless souls not only in this great city, but in the greater sphere influenced by such a metropolitan center as Chicago.

The Shrine of Christ the King is already in operation. Until recently Mass and the Sacraments were offered in part of the rectory's basement beautifully transformed into a chapel. Because of the growing number of faithful, in December 2007 the church, even before its restoration, was temporarily fitted with provisional furnishings, drapery, rugs, donated pews, and temporary altars, along with rented heating, so that it could be used. On December 29th that year, His Eminence Francis Cardinal George came to our Shrine to solemnly crown the statue of the Infant King, destined for the High Altar. The ceremony was followed by a Solemn High Mass, the first in this church for many decades. The restoration of this magnficent church for permanent use is entirely dependent on the generous donation of the needed funds:

First Phase

Tower, roof, tuck pointing, window frames, foundations, etc.

estimated $1,500,000

Second Phase

Internal construction work, scaffolding, HVAC and electrical wiring, ceiling, floor, etc.

estimated $2,950,000

Third Phase

Painting, plaster repair, altars, artwork, etc.

estimated $2,900,000

How can I help?

1. Make a donation toward the restoration of the church building of

the Shrine to Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

2. Spread the word about the Institute’s future Shrine to Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

          Send me brochures about the project to distribute to family and friends. (specify quantity)

          I will notify my local Catholic publications.

3. Please pray for all that is involved in erecting this Shrine to Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Thank you for your generosity !