About Cathedral of Christ the King · Lexington, Kentucky
The Cathedral of Christ the King is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington and the seat (cathedra) of its third bishop, Most Rev. John Stowe, OFM Conv. Located at 299 Colony Boulevard in suburban Lexington, Kentucky, it began as Christ the King Parish on July 22, 1945, and was elevated to cathedral status on March 2, 1988, when Pope John Paul II erected the Diocese of Lexington from territory of the Diocese of Covington and the Archdiocese of Louisville. The cruciform Mid-Century Modern church (1965–1967), designed by Cincinnati architect Edward J. Schulte, is notable for its Gabriel Loire stained glass, Italian marble sanctuary, the St. Kevin Adoration Chapel (with 24-hour Eucharistic adoration), and the on-site Christ the King School — a two-time U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon school serving PK2–8.
- Established
- 1945
- Patron
- Christ the King (Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe)
- Rector
- Rev. John Moriarty (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lexington
Why belong here
Christ the King is the spiritual center of the Diocese of Lexington — a place where the bishop's cathedra, the cathedral school, and the broader parish family meet. Worshippers find a full schedule of daily and Sunday Masses (with live-streamed options), frequent Confession, and the rare gift of 24-hour Eucharistic adoration in the St. Kevin Adoration Chapel. Families with school-age children benefit from Christ the King School (PK2–8), a two-time U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon school on the same campus, and a robust OCIA / Faith Formation / Youth program that walks members from First Communion through Confirmation and into adult discipleship. Add in long-standing ministries like the Archives Ministry, Knights of Columbus Council 14130, the parish's signature FAITH-guidelines stewardship ethos, and a strong choral and liturgical tradition, and the cathedral offers the resources of a large suburban parish alongside the intimacy and continuity of a tight-knit Bluegrass community.
Mass times at Cathedral of Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 4:45–5:30 PM (parish site lists as 'Wednesdays 4:00–5:30 PM' / '4:45–5:30 PM' depending on source)
- Saturday 3:45–5:00 PM
- 30 minutes before every Sunday Mass (and the 1st Sunday of the month after the 7:30 and 9:00 AM Masses)
- First Saturdays after 8:00 AM Mass
- By appointment with Fr. Derek Van Daniker or Fr. Mariya Doss
Adoration times
- 24-hour Eucharistic adoration in the St. Kevin Adoration Chapel (per parish/cathedral sources)
- Cathedral is listed in the GCatholic Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Parish History — From 1945 Mission to Cathedral of the Diocese
Christ the King Parish was established on July 22, 1945 in the Diocese of Covington, with its first Mass celebrated in the chapel of St. Catherine's Academy on North Limestone Street. The Rev. George J. O'Brien was named the first pastor but resigned soon after because of ill health; he was succeeded by the Rev. Richard Garland O'Neill, a Lexington native who would shepherd the parish for more than two decades. On May 12, 1946 the parish moved to its present site at Colony and Providence Roads, where Mass was first celebrated in a prefabricated structure relocated from the Diocese of Covington. Christ the King School opened in the fall of 1951, originally staffed by the Sisters of Divine Providence. The present cruciform church and rectory were constructed 1965–1967 at a cost of $1.5 million and dedicated in May 1967. On January 14, 1988 Pope John Paul II erected the Diocese of Lexington, naming Christ the King its cathedral. The Cathedral Center was added in August 1992, the 'Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future' campaign of 2010 funded the St. Kevin Adoration Chapel, a new Baptistry, and a new Rectory, and the parish marked its 75th anniversary in 2020.
- Founded July 22, 1945 (Diocese of Covington)
- First pastor: Rev. George J. O'Brien (resigned due to ill health)
- Second pastor: Rev. (later Msgr.) Richard Garland O'Neill, 1945–1973
- Moved to 299 Colony Blvd. site on May 12, 1946 (prefabricated structure)
- Christ the King School opened fall 1951 (Sisters of Divine Providence)
- Present cruciform church and rectory built 1965–1967, dedicated May 1967
- Diocese of Lexington erected by Pope John Paul II, January 14, 1988
- Christ the King becomes cathedral, March 2, 1988
- Cathedral Center added August 1992
- 'Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future' capital campaign launched 2010
Christ the King School
Christ the King School is the on-site PK2–8 Catholic school of the cathedral parish and the cathedral school of the Diocese of Lexington. It has been recognized twice as a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School. The Sisters of Divine Providence administered the school from its 1951 opening until 1985, when lay professionals took over leadership. The school's mission statement commits it to developing 'Character, Knowledge and Spirit' by 'living the Catholic faith through sharing the sacraments, promoting academic excellence, and engaging in service,' and its signature FAITH guidelines (Find Christ in Others; Accept Responsibility; Inspire Integrity and Honesty; Treat others with Dignity and Respect; Honor God, Yourself and Others) shape daily life. The school community celebrates Mass together weekly as a whole school. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation (winter) and First Communion (spring) is integrated into the second-grade year, while eighth-grade students prepare for Confirmation through their religion classes and retreats.
- Address: 412 Cochran Road, Lexington, KY 40502
- Phone: (859) 266-5641
- Principal: Ann Bruggerman
- Two-time National Blue Ribbon School (U.S. Department of Education)
- Founded 1951; Sisters of Divine Providence staffed it until 1985
- PK2–8 grade range
- Mission: Character, Knowledge, Spirit
- FAITH guidelines
- Weekly all-school Mass
- Stewardship program by grade (Elderly, Thirst, Hungry, Homeless, Disabled, Refugees, 'Many parts, All one')
- School website: https://www.ckslex.org
Architecture, Art, and the Cathedral Building
Designed by Cincinnati architect Edward J. Schulte (1890–1975) and built 1965–1967 at a cost of $1.5 million, the Cathedral of Christ the King is a cruciform (Greek cross) plan in the Modern and late Art Deco style. The sanctuary centers on a prominent altar surrounded on three sides by seating, lit by a tower of natural light from above. Italian marble, custom-designed holy-water fonts, railings worked with crown imagery, and figural sculptures of angels and saints are hallmarks of Schulte's detail-driven approach. Stained glass is by Gabriel Loire of Chartres, France; a window depicting Christ with orb and scepter is by Sister Mary Ernestine Ott, CDP; and the fourteen Stations of the Cross are by liturgical artist Leo Cartwright, who collaborated with Schulte on cathedrals at Lexington and La Crosse.
- Architect: Edward J. Schulte, Cincinnati (the only architect to design five Catholic cathedrals)
- Style: Modern and late Art Deco, Greek cross (cruciform) plan
- Construction 1965–1967, dedicated May 1967
- Cost: $1.5 million
- Stained glass by Gabriel Loire of Chartres, France
- Christ-with-orb-and-scepter window by Sister Mary Ernestine Ott, CDP
- Stations of the Cross by Leo Cartwright
- Italian marble interior; custom holy water fonts and crown-rail imagery
Faith Formation, OCIA, and Sacramental Preparation
Faith Formation at the cathedral spans cradle-to-adult: Children's Faith Formation (K–8) meets weekly on Sundays or Mondays, the High School ministry offers Confirmation prep for Grades 9–10 with retreats and reflection, and adults journey toward full communion through the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults — formerly RCIA). The OCIA process meets Monday evenings 6:30–8:15 PM from September through Easter, with a summer Sunday-at-5-PM class for already-baptized Christians. Inquiry classes meet monthly at 6:30 PM in Kenny Hall. The parish also coordinates First Reconciliation (winter), First Communion (spring, with second-graders participating in classroom instruction, a Last Supper reenactment, retreat day, and tulip planting), and Confirmation (typically February or March for eighth-graders).
- OCIA: Monday evenings 6:30–8:15 PM, Sept–Easter; summer Sunday class for the baptized
- Inquiry: monthly at 6:30 PM in Kenny Hall
- Children's Faith Formation (K–8), Sundays or Mondays
- High School ministry and Confirmation prep (Grades 9–10)
- First Reconciliation (winter) and First Communion (spring) for 2nd graders
- Eighth-grade Confirmation (February or March)
Clergy, Staff, and the Diocese of Lexington
The cathedral is pastored by a Rector, appointed by the Bishop of Lexington. Per the 2025–26 diocesan directory, the Rector is Rev. John Moriarty, assisted by Parochial Vicars Rev. Derek Van Daniker and Rev. Mariya Doss. The parish is also served by five permanent deacons: Lee Ferguson, John Hinkel, Paul Root, Tim Weinmann, and Al Wiemann. The cathedral is the seat of the third Bishop of Lexington, Most Rev. John Stowe, OFM Conv. (ordained a priest September 16, 1995; installed as Bishop of Lexington May 5, 2015), who succeeded Bishop Ronald Gainer and the diocese's first bishop, J. Kendrick Williams. The Diocese of Lexington covers 50 counties and 16,423 square miles of central and eastern Kentucky, with 59 parishes and missions, about 41,000 Catholics, and Christ the King listed in the Fayette Deanery (Dean: Rev. Charles Howell; Alternate: Rev. Derek Van Daniker).
- Rector: Rev. John Moriarty
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Derek Van Daniker; Rev. Mariya Doss
- Deacons: Lee Ferguson, John Hinkel, Paul Root, Tim Weinmann, Al Wiemann
- Bishop of Lexington: Most Rev. John Stowe, OFM Conv. (3rd bishop; installed May 5, 2015)
- Vicar General: Rev. Dan Noll
- Diocesan headquarters: 1310 W. Main St., Lexington, KY
- Fayette Deanery; cathedral listed with 2,114 households
Parish Ministries and Community Life
Beyond the Mass schedule and sacraments, the cathedral supports a wide range of lay ministries. The Archives Ministry maintains ctkarchives.org — a living document library of parish and school history used for the 50th and 75th anniversaries and the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games. Knights of Columbus Council 14130 is chartered at the cathedral, and the parish's Stewardship / FAITH-guidelines ethos flows through everything from the school's grade-by-grade service themes (Elderly, Thirst, Hungry, Homeless, Disabled, Refugees, 'Many parts, All one') to adult discipleship. A robust liturgical and choral ministry supports both in-person and live-streamed Masses.
- Archives Ministry (ctkarchives.org) — 50th/75th anniversaries, FEI WEG 2010 exhibits
- Knights of Columbus Council 14130
- Stewardship program (FAITH guidelines)
- Liturgical and Choral Ministry
- Live-streamed Mass team (Monday 5:30 PM, Friday 8:00 AM, Saturday 5:00 PM, Sunday 9:00 AM)
- Faith Formation catechists, classroom aides, hospitality helpers, retreat volunteers, and OCIA sponsors
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. George J. O'Brien1945
First pastor of Christ the King Parish; had to resign shortly after founding because of ill health.
- Rev. (later Msgr.) Richard Garland O'Neill1945–1973
Lexington native; succeeded Fr. O'Brien. Led the parish from its move to Colony Blvd. (May 12, 1946) through the opening of Christ the King School (1951) and into the planning of the new church. Elevated to domestic prelate (Monsignor) November 1965. Retired June 1, 1968; died July 21, 1973. Subject of a portrait by William Walsh unveiled December 14, 1969.
- Rev. Joseph J. Rueter1968–1983
Succeeded Msgr. O'Neill as pastor of Christ the King Parish, oversaw the completion and 1967 dedication of the present church; served until 1983.
- Fr. Paul George Prabell1986–1994
Previously Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, Lexington (1978–1986); Pastor of Christ the King Parish 1986–1988, then first Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King 1988–1994 when it became the cathedral of the new Diocese of Lexington. Incardinated into the Diocese of Lexington in 1988. Pastored Pax Christi 1994–2004, then retired in 2004.
- Fr. Mark Daniel Dreves1994–2002
Associate Pastor of the Cathedral 1986–1988 and Sacramental Minister of St. Mark Church, Richmond, KY 1986–1994; became Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King 1994–2002.
- Fr. (Pastor, SS. Peter and Paul, Danville 1995–2002)2002–2007
Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King, Lexington, 2002–2007 (per the ctkarchives.org succession listing); subsequently served as Pastor of Jesus Our Savior Church, Morehead, KY 2008–2015.
- Fr. (Associate Pastor Holy Family Ashland 1991–94)2007–2014
Ordained May 20, 1995 at Christ the King Cathedral by Bishop J. Kendrick Williams. Served as Associate Pastor of Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary, then Pastor of St. Martha's Prestonsburg 1996–2002 and Sacramental Minister at MQHR 2002–05. Was Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King 2007–2014.
- Rev. John Moriarty2015–2021
Ordained June 1, 1991 at Christ the King Cathedral. Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King, Lexington, 2015–2021; currently listed as Rector in the 2025–26 Diocesan Directory.
- Fr. Paul George Prabell (biographical entry in archive)2021 ->
Per ctkarchives.org a priest whose 8th assignment is listed as 'Rector Cathedral of Christ the King 2021 ->'; the 2025–26 Diocesan Directory currently lists Rev. John Moriarty as Rector. Names drawn from parish archive records may lag live diocesan assignments.
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