Christ The King Parish

Christ the King Catholic Church was established in 1963 to serve the community of Springfield, Illinois. Today its enrollment is over 500 students. Rev. Msgr.

It was in the summer of 1963 - July 31 to be exact - that Christ the King Parish first saw the light of day. Carved out of the west end of Blessed Sacrament Parish, the new parish was given the name of Christ the King by the late Bishop William A. O'Connor to preserve its close association with Blessed Sacrament. The Feast of Christ the King was announced by Pope Pius XI during the Holy Year of 19

25, when the first school of Blessed Sacrament Parish opened its doors. Thus the name of the new parish implied that it was actually expanding the educational work begun in 1925 by Blessed Sacrament Parish. Under the auspices of Blessed Sacrament Parish, a new school and convent were built during 1957 and 1958. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Feb. 25, 1957 at the corner of Chatham Road and Barberry Drive. On the Feast of Christ the King, Oct. 26, 1958, Bishop O'Connor presided at the dedication of the new school and convent. A half million dollars had been raised in contributions and pledges for the facility. When the school was completed it consisted of 13 classrooms, a kindergarten and a gymnasium. In the first year there were 251 students, four Dominican Sisters and one lay teacher for kindergarten through fifth grade. Grades six, seven and eight were added in succeeding years. A preschool was started in 1997 for three and four-year-olds and some five-year-olds. In July, 1963, a separate parish was created out of Christ the King and Bishop O'Connor appointed the Rt. John W. Bretz as pastor and the Rev. Leo Sestak as assistant pastor. Bretz celebrated the parish's first Mass on July 31, 1963 in the school gymnasium, which would serve as the parish church until construction of the present church was completed. On October 20, 1970, ground was broken for the current church, which was dedicated on November 20, 1972. The design of the new church reflected elements of Vatican 11 liturgical changes in the Catholic Church, with greater emphasis on participation of the congregation in the services. Bretz served as pastor until his retirement on June 20, 1989. On October 25, 1997, our parish celebrated the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the present Christ the King Church. The parish started with about 700 families and has grown to over 1500 families. The parish has been served by three bishops, including Bishops William O'Connor and Joseph McNicholas, both deceased, Bishop Daniel L. Ryan, Bishop George J. Lucas and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki who currently serves as head of the Diocese. Since its beginnings five pastors have served the parish: Msgr. Bretz from 1963 to 1989; Rev. Donald J. Meehling from 1989 to 1995; Rev. David S. Lantz from 1996 to 2012; Rev. Joseph Ring from 2012 to 2020; Very Rev. Christopher House from 2020 to present; as well as the following parochial vicars:

Rev. Leo Sestak (1963-67)
Rev. Michael R. Kuse (1967-70)
Rev. Robert Spriggs (1970-72)
Rev. Larry Boehler (1972-76)
Rev. James O'Shea (1976-78)
Rev. James Neuman (1979-84)
Rev. David Lantz (1984-89)
Rev. Anthony Thieman (1989-90)
Rev. Joe Kerber (1990-93)

Rev. Don Roberts (1990-93)
Rev. Doug Lichtenberger (1993)
Rev. Brendan Keane (1993-97)
Rev. Barry Harmon (1993-97)
Rev. David Zimmerman (1997-00)
Rev. Thomas Dennis (2000-01)
Rev. Christopher House (2002-03)
Rev. Clinton Honkomp, OP (2004-05)
Rev. Michael Berndt (2020-21)

We also remember a young priest, Rev. George Nesbitt, who briefly served this parish in 1979, and shortly afterward was called Home by our Heavenly Father.

05/11/2026

We are excited to bring Totus Tuus to Christ the King this summer!

This fun and faith-filled Catholic summer program for students entering Grades 1–12 combines prayer, learning, games, music, and friendship led by missionaries from the Diocese of Springfield.

See the shared post below for details and registration information!

Totus Tuus is coming to Christ the King this summer!

Students entering Grades 1–12 are invited to join us for a fun and faith-filled week of games, music, prayer, learning, and friendship led by college missionaries and seminarians from the Diocese of Springfield.

Grades 1–6
📅 July 13–17
⏰ 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Grades 7–12
📅 July 12–16
⏰ 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM

Scan the QR code on the flyer or visit go.dio.org/ttcr to register and learn more!

Questions? Contact Judith Carstens at [email protected] 💚🐾

Photos from Christ the King School's post

05/06/2026

04/28/2026

Women of all parishes are invited to the Springfield Deanery Council of Catholic Women Spring Meeting at Christ the King Parish on Saturday, May 9 at 9:00 AM in Roesch Hall.

RSVP by May 4 using the link on the flyer. We hope you can join us!

04/01/2026

The Easter Triduum begins tomorrow. Please see the schedule below for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday Masses at Christ the King Church.

Please note: there will be no 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, April 4, and no 5:00 p.m. Mass on Sunday, April 5.

02/24/2026

Join us this evening for Legion of Mary at Christ the King Parish.

📅 Tuesday, February 24
⏰ 6:00 p.m.
📍 Roesch Hall

Come learn more about the beauty and power of praying the Rosary. All parishioners are welcome. We hope to see you there!

02/21/2026

Join for our Lenten Parish Mission on the Mercy of God revealed in Jesus Christ on March 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at 6:30pm in the Church.
Confessions following on March 2nd and Social afterwards on March 3rd.

02/17/2026

Ash Wednesday Masses at Christ the King will be at:
7:00AM
5:30PM
There will also be a Liturgy of the Word with distribution of ashes at Noon (no communion).

01/23/2026

Dear CTK Parishioners,

Quick update on Masses this weekend. Mass and Confession Times will be at usual times.
Saturday: 3pm confessions and 4:30pm Mass
Sunday 8am, 10am, and 5pm Masses plus 4 pm confessions

Please use wise judgment on attending due to road conditions from the snow. Please note that the parking lot will be in rough shape due to continued snowfall likely during Mass times. We will try our best to clear some of the lot and sidewalks.

Below is a detail explanation on Mass dispensation.

As pastor, I can only grant individual dispensations as I don’t have the authority to grant general ones, but both Divine and Ecclesiastical law never expect us to do what we cannot do or should not do regarding our own well-being. To that end, the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday is naturally lifted if and when a legitimate impediment exists to our fulfilling that obligation. Weather conditions that lead to road conditions that say "you have no business being on the roads" constitute a legitimate impediment.

Those who are scheduled for ministries on Sunday should feel no extra obligation to be at Mass on Saturday or Sunday if weather conditions truly suggest otherwise. The Masses will likely be very simple but God will be glorified and praised nonetheless.

God did not make us for foolish or unnecessary risks. Please use good judgement when making any travel decisions this weekend, including whether or not it's safe for you (and for those who must be on the roads) to be out.

God bless,
Fr. Mark Tracy

12/13/2025

Dear CTK Parishioners,

Quick update on Masses this weekend. Mass and Confession Times will be at usual times.
Saturday: 3pm confessions and 4:30pm Mass
Sunday 8am, 10am, and 5pm Masses plus 4 pm confessions

Please use wise judgment on attending due to road conditions from the snow. Please note that the parking lot will be in rough shape due to continued snowfall next likely up to Mass time Saturday night. We will try our best to clear some of the lot and sidewalks.

Below is a detail explanation on Mass dispensation.

As pastor, I can only grant individual dispensations as I don’t have the authority to grant general ones, but both Divine and Ecclesiastical law never expect us to do what we cannot do or should not do regarding our own well-being. To that end, the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday is naturally lifted if and when a legitimate impediment exists to our fulfilling that obligation. Weather conditions that lead to road conditions that say "you have no business being on the roads" constitute a legitimate impediment.

Those who are scheduled for ministries on Sunday should feel no extra obligation to be at Mass on Saturday or Sunday if weather conditions truly suggest otherwise. The Masses will likely be very simple but God will be glorified and praised nonetheless.

God did not make us for foolish or unnecessary risks. Please use good judgement when making any travel decisions this weekend, including whether or not it's safe for you (and for those who must be on the roads) to be out.

God bless,
Fr. Mark Tracy

11/29/2025

Dear CTK Parishioners,

Quick update on Masses this weekend. Mass and Confession Times will be at usual times.

Saturday: 3pm confessions and 4:30pm Mass
Sunday 8am, 10am, and 5pm Masses plus 4 pm confessions

Please use wise judgment on attending due to road conditions from the snow. Below is a detail explanation on Mass dispensation.

As pastor, I can only grant individual dispensations as I don’t have the authority to grant general ones, but both Divine and Ecclesiastical law never expect us to do what we cannot do or should not do regarding our own well-being. To that end, the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday is naturally lifted if and when a legitimate impediment exists to our fulfilling that obligation. Weather conditions that lead to road conditions that say "you have no business being on the roads" constitute a legitimate impediment.

Those who are scheduled for ministries on Sunday should feel no extra obligation to be at Mass on Saturday or Sunday if weather conditions truly suggest otherwise. The Masses will likely be very simple but God will be glorified and praised nonetheless.

God did not make us for foolish or unnecessary risks. Please use good judgement when making any travel decisions this weekend, including whether or not it's safe for you (and for those who must be on the roads) to be out.

God bless,

Fr. Mark Tracy

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Telephone

+12175463527

Website

http://www.ctkparish.com/

Address

1930 Barberry Drive
Springfield, IL
62704

Christ The King Parish

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