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"The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you."

The Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago is a spiritual Bethlehem which is home to a 17^th century statue of the Holy Infant King and a relic of the Holy Crib.

A Novena of prayer is offered here to the Christ Child from the 17^th to the 25^th day of each month, thus giving you the opportunity to present your prayer petitions to our little Infant King!

You may donate a flower to be placed at the Shrine of the Infant King or a candle to burn in His presence, as visible signs of your prayer intention throughout the next monthly novena.

The wise men and the shepherds offered their gifts to the Infant King. Whether you offer Him today a flower or a candle, you will ultimately be offering the love of your heart!

Submit Your Novena Intentions Today

On December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest organized for the fourth consecutive year a candlelight procession in honor of Mary Immaculate through the very heart of Rome.

Very Reverend Msgr. Juan Miguel Ferrer Grenesche, Undersecretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, presided over the procession, which began at the Church of Jesus and Mary (Chiesa Gesu e Maria), the home of the Institute’s apostolate in Rome.

A representative group of canons and seminarians of the Institute, along with priest friends and clergy led the faithful in singing Marian hymns and in reciting the Holy Rosary. A very large crowd of about 2000 people, following the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima brought for the occasion by the Association Luci sull’Est, filed down the Via del Corso and through other avenues which serve as main arteries through the center of the city, passing along the way such well-known Roman landmarks as the Pantheon, Chiesa Santa Maria in Aquiro, Piazza Colonna, and Palazzo Montecitorio. Along the way the Madonna was greeted with ringing church bells, wholehearted applause and cries of “Viva Maria,” as festive music was played at intervals by a band of the Carabinieri, the national gendarmerie of Italy.

Upon the arrival of the procession at the Basilica Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, His Eminence, Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyas, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation of Clergy and former President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, offered Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and delivered a closing ferverino in this splendid Gothic basilica of the Dominican Fathers.

The Institute is very grateful to the eminent clergy who were present, as well as to the groups which helped with organizing this procession such as Luci sull’Est, the Lepanto Foundation, and the Association Cristo Re of Livorno, among so many others.

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The celebration of American Thanksgiving has become a yearly tradition at the International Seminary in Gricigliano, which now numbers twenty American vocations. Those with culinary talent carefully prepare traditional Thanksgiving dishes for the delight of all the seminarians, as well as the seminary professors and visiting guests who are also invited. The seminarians decorate the refectory and place a statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the United States, in a special place of honor.

At the start of the soirée, Reverend Canon Philippe Mora, Seminary Rector, gave an insightful discourse (see below) explaining the reasons for the celebration. Afterwards, Canon Mora carved the large turkeys with the assistance of Canon Paul Antoine Lefebvre, Seminary Vice-Rector, and Canon Jason Apple, Prefect of the Seminarians in the Spirituality Year. This year the seminary received a gift of new Beaujolais wine from France which went along very well with the turkey—a successful French-American duo! The homemade pumpkin pie was also popular. The talented seminarian cooks well merited the grateful applause of all present!

Discourse of Reverend Canon Mora, Seminary Rector

On this beautiful day of Thanksgiving, please permit me, in the name of your superiors and of the community, to say to each of you how happy we are for the occasion of this feast to manifest concretely the Catholic and Roman spirit that characterizes our dear Institute.

Beyond the presence of the different nationalities at the seminary, we would like to underline what we have heard Cardinal Pie so magistrally remind us : the traditions and customs of our nations and countries are the precious stones of the Holy Church ; they are her ornament, because they are the fruits of Christendom.

The Holy Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, knows how to adopt as her own all that, in our fallen humanity, can be ennobled by the grace that her Saviour communicates to her.

Contrary to the insinuations of her enemies, the Holy Church destroys nothing that is true and beautiful in the customs of the peoples whom she converts to Our Lord, but rather brings everything into conformity with the message of her divine Master.

This truth opens for us great horizons for the exercise of true charity, which is so foreign to all that is coarse and narrow, contrary to the spirit of sects which are always so eager to condemn and thus to divide. No, it is precisely the true unity in diversity of which only the Catholic is truly capable which fills us with joy this evening ! The Seminary Rule reminds us of this truth  : « They shall make every effort to manifest for everyone the same esteem and devotion, especially during times of recreation and during outings. They shall always think above all of what unites them more than of what separates them.  May they never forget that the memories of the years of seminary spent in a holy mutual charity, inspired by the gift of piety and the virtue of justice, will give to their whole priestly life an inestimable boon : "O quam bonum et quam jucundum habitare fratres in unum !" (Ps. CXXXII, 1.)

Let us, then, give thanks to God on this beautiful Thanksgiving! And let us assure our American confreres, who edify us by their character and their generosity, of our sincere and fraternal prayers.

Deo gratias! God bless America!

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On the annual Feast of Christ the King, which occurs traditionally on the last Sunday of the month of October, the apostolates of the Institute offer solemn Masses and Eucharistic processions, as well as social celebrations in the family spirit of the Institute.

Old St. Patrick's, Kansas City

Christ our King was honored from coast to coast in the Liturgies held in the California apostolates of the Institute at Saint Margaret Mary in Oakland and at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Oratory in the Diocese of San Jose to St. Anthony of Padua Oratory in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. From St. Gianna Oratory in Tucson, Arizona, to Old Saint Patrick Oratory in Kansas City, Missouri, to St. Mary’s in Wausau, Wisconsin, the faithful prayed the consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Christ our King. At the Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago, Pontifical Mass was offered by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph N. Perry.

St. Anthony of Padua, West Orange

At the Saint Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis, the Masses which honored Christ the King were followed by the second annual Seminary Society Breakfast, attended by over 350 faithful. The popular event at the Oratory brings the Institute’s St. Phillip Neri International Seminary closer to the faithful and encourages both prayer and material support for the Seminary. Throughout the hearty breakfast, the assembly of families was treated to a slide presentation of activities at the Seminary.  Many faithful took this opportunity to sign up to pray for individual seminarians for this coming year. Overall, this event raised over $3,000 for the Seminary.

Excerpts from the Encyclical Quas Primas of Pope Pius XI, 1925

St. Gianna, Tucson

22. History, in fact, tells us that in the course of ages these festivals have been instituted one after another according as the needs or the advantage of the people of Christ seemed to demand: as when they needed strength to face a common danger, when they were attacked by insidious heresies, when they needed to be urged to the pious consideration of some mystery of faith or of some divine blessing…

St. Margaret Mary, Oakland

23. The festivals that have been introduced into the liturgy in more recent years have had a similar origin, and have been attended with similar results. When reverence and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament had grown cold, the feast of Corpus Christi was instituted, so that by means of solemn processions and prayer of eight days' duration, men might be brought once more to render public homage to Christ. So, too, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was instituted at a time when men were oppressed by the sad and gloomy severity of Jansenism, which had made their hearts grow cold, and shut them out from the love of God and the hope of salvation.

St. Mary's, Wausau

26. The way has been happily and providentially prepared for the celebration of this feast ever since the end of the last century. It is well known that this cult has been the subject of learned disquisitions in many books published in every part of the world, written in many different languages. The kingship and empire of Christ have been recognized in the pious custom, practiced by many families, of dedicating themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; not only families have performed this act of dedication, but nations, too, and kingdoms. In fact, the whole of the human race was at the instance of Pope Leo XIII, in the Holy Year 1900, consecrated to the Divine Heart. It should be remarked also that much has been done for the recognition of Christ's authority over society by the frequent Eucharistic Congresses which are held in our age. These give an opportunity to the people of each diocese, district or nation, and to the whole world of coming together to venerate and adore Christ the King hidden under the Sacramental species. Thus by sermons preached at meetings and in churches, by public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed and by solemn processions, men unite in paying homage to Christ, whom God has given them for their King. It is by a divine inspiration that the people of Christ bring forth Jesus from his silent hiding-place in the church, and carry him in triumph through the streets of the city, so that he whom men refused to receive when he came unto his own, may now receive in full his kingly rights.

St. Francis de Sales, St. Louis

33. The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God. If all these truths are presented to the faithful for their consideration, they will prove a powerful incentive to perfection. It is Our fervent desire, Venerable Brethren, that those who are without the fold may seek after and accept the sweet yoke of Christ, and that we, who by the mercy of God are of the household of the faith, may bear that yoke, not as a burden but with joy, with love, with devotion; that having lived our lives in accordance with the laws of God's kingdom, we may receive full measure of good fruit, and counted by Christ good and faithful servants, we may be rendered partakers of eternal bliss and glory with him in his heavenly kingdom.

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On the Solemnity of the Kingship of Christ, Sunday, October 30, Pontifical Mass was celebrated at the Shrine of Christ the King by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph N. Perry, Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Before this solemn Liturgy Bishop Perry administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to some young adults of the Shrine community.

Group picture with the confirmands

In the sermon His Excellency insightfully explained how the Kingship of Christ gives true perspective to life in our world of today. The Renaissance choral music for Liturgy was provided by members of Chicago Chorale, who sang beautifully a Mass setting by Tomas Luis de Victoria, as well as several other works of sacred polyphony. After the Pontifical Mass, His Excellency, Bishop Perry greeted the many faithful at a festive reception held in his honor.

Classical Concert Series at the Shrine

To complete the day’s festivities in honor of the Infant King, a concert of baroque music was presented by members of the Amadeus Consort. The musicians performed works of Telemann, Loeillet, Handel, and other composers from the period for violin, oboe, harpsichord and base. This fall finale concert is part of a series of classical concerts offered to the public free of charge as part of the cultural outreach of the Shrine to the local community and rapidly-developing neighborhood.

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As Cardinal Raymond Burke and the Institute in Europe were making their annual pilgrimage of vocations to the Basilica of St. Therese in Lisieux, France, on October 15, the canons and faithful of the Institute in the American Midwest made their first pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Robinsonville, near Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The apparition of Our Lady to Adele Brise on October 9, 1859, is the first Marian apparition in the United States to receive diocesan approval. It followed close upon the dedication of the United States to the Immaculate Conception in 1847, the proclamation of that dogma in 1854, and the Marian apparitions at Lourdes in 1858. The Queen of Heaven asked Sister Adele to pray and offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners and to teach the catechism to the children of the region. Our Lady promised her help in this mission. Now more than ever, we should not hesitate to fly to Our Lady of Good Help to beg her assistance in educating the youth and building a true Catholic culture.

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Saint Francis de Sales Oratory, the Institute’s apostolate in St. Louis, received with great joy a pastoral visit from His Grace, the Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, on Sunday, October 9, 2011.

Accompanied by the Rector, Canon Michael Wiener, the Archbishop processed from the rectory to the main entrance of the Saint Francis de Sales church, under a canopy carried by four members of the Oratory in formal military uniform. At the entrance of the church, the Archbishop knelt and kissed a crucifix. With the holy water presented to him by the Rector, he sprinkled himself and those around him and was then incensed. The procession continued down the length of the Oratory to the main altar as the Archbishop blessed the faithful along the way.  On arriving in the sanctuary, the Archbishop knelt at the foot of the altar, where the Rector sung a prayer. After kissing the Altar, the Archbishop chanted the prayer of Saint Francis de Sales from the missal: Orémus.  Deus, qui ad animárum salútem beátum Francíscum Confessórem tuum atque Pontíficem ómnibus ómnia factum esse voluísti: concéde propítius; ut caritátis tuæ dulcédine perfúsi, ejus dirigéntibus mónitis ac suffragántibus méritis, ætérna gáudia consequámur.  Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Thus, with the beautiful ceremony prescribed by the Church, began the pastoral visit of Archbishop Carlson. After the chanting of the Gospel of this Solemn High Mass, the Archbishop gave a sermon full of encouragement, and a fatherly exhortation to meditate on the two commandments to love God and to love our neighbor. He emphasized the harmonious relationship between these two mandates.

After the 10:00 AM Mass and pontifical blessing, the festivities continued in the Oratory hall, where the faithful formed a long receiving line to greet and thank the Archbishop.

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