Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
U.S. National Headquarters of
The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
Chicago, Illinois
Msgr. R. Michael Schmitz, Vicar General of the Institute and Provincial for the United States
Location: Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
6415 S. Woodlawn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637-3817
Telephone: 773-363-7409
Fax: 773-363-7824
E-mail: info@institute-christ-king.org
Mass location and schedule
Until the building restoration of the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is completed, the Insitute of Christ the King will be offering Mass and the Sacraments on an interim basis at a church in Chicago yet to be determined.
For the moment, Mass is offered at the small priory chapel of the Institute's headquarters. Please call 773-363-7409 for the Mass schedule.
Read about the Chicago project
More images of our Chicago church today
Blessing of the Priory
How can I help build the Shrine of Christ the King?
The Future Shrine Christ the King Sovereign Priest
Just
south of the University of Chicago lies the new national American
headquarters of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest,
where, by gracious permission of His Eminence Francis Cardinal George,
Archbishop of Chicago, the Institute will establish a shrine to Christ
the King Sovereign Priest.
In late 2003, His Eminence granted to the Institute the church of St. Gelasius in the south-side neighborhood of Woodlawn. 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 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. Though at first it was contemplated that the church building would be dedicated to the Divine Mercy, through circumstances Holy Providence has indicated that it is to be a shrine to honor Our Lord’s Sovereignty, as Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Side altars will be dedicated to the Divine Mercy and to the Infant Jesus.
The moment is right. The neighborhood of Woodlawn, as of the 1990s, has been steadily on the road to a remarkable recovery from its squalid 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 Roman Rite and the efficacy of the Sacraments, administered in the Classical Tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.
The
church is to be remodeled according to the design of Renaissance and
Baroque church buildings in Venice and Rome, which closely resemble
its lines and dimensions. However, before this interior
restoration can commence, there are major infra-structural works that
need to be carried out. For example, the ceiling was 
destroyed
in a fire in the 1980s, and the flooring was completely removed because
of asbestos. Thanks to a generous loan, most of the urgently needed
exterior work was completed in the course of 2005 -- roof replacement,
tuck pointing, exterior surface cleaning, and repair of the tower.
During 2006 the plans are to replace the window frames, re-construct
the exterior steps to the church, and to address all the structural
needs of the interior, such as completely replacing the HVAC, the
electrical wiring, the bathrooms, etc. Because of the magnitude of the
project, it is anticipated that the work of restoration of the future
shrine will take two to three years; and the cost is estimated at
$5,900,000, all of which must be raised by the Institute. 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.
While the national headquarters of the Institute are already operating in the former Carmelite priory of St. Gelasius, the project of re-habilitating the church building itself is only in its very beginnings, and progress is entirely dependent on the generous donation of the needed funds:
First Phase
Tower, roof, tuck pointing, window frames, foundations, etc.
estimated $1,800,000
Second Phase
Internal construction work, scaffolding, HVAC and electrical wiring, ceiling, floor, etc.
estimated $2,600,000
Third Phase
Painting, plaster repair, altars, artwork, etc.
estimated $1,500,000
How can I help?
1. Make a donation toward the restoration of the church building of the Shrine to Christ the King Sovereign Priest.
By Credit Card (Click here for donation form; mark "American Apostolate”)
By Mail
Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
6415 S. Woodlawn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637-3817
Or contact Msgr. Michael Schmitz, telephone 773-363-7409
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