About Christ the King · Louisville, Kentucky
Christ the King Parish was a Roman Catholic parish in West Louisville, Kentucky, established in 1927 by Irish and German Catholic families and entrusted to the care of the Archdiocese of Louisville. For nearly a century the parish served the surrounding neighborhood at 718 South 44th Street, running a school directed by the Sisters of Loretto and developing an extensive network of outreach ministries including senior housing, a St. Vincent de Paul conference, prison and hospital visitation, and a music academy for children. By the 1960s the parish had become predominantly African American and grew into a tight-knit faith community celebrated for warm worship and deeply trained lay leadership. After decades of declining membership and aging facilities, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre decreed on February 25, 2025, that Christ the King would close on April 30, 2025, with its territory passing to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and the church property being gifted to Simmons College of Kentucky.
- Established
- 1927
- Patron
- Christ the King (Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe)
- Rector
- Rev. George Otuma, A.J. (Apostles of Jesus) — served as the parish's final pastor and concurrently as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Augustine parishes
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
Christ the King was a small, warm parish celebrated for its vigorously lived Gospel witness and its tightly trained lay leaders working alongside gifted clergy and religious. Members served one another through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a 24-unit senior housing complex built with Catholic Charities, ministries to the homebound, hospitalized and imprisoned, and a children's music academy. Although the parish closed on April 30, 2025, parishioners have been asked to carry those gifts into neighboring West Louisville parishes such as Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Augustine, St. Martin de Porres, and Good Shepherd, which now serve the territory.
Mass times at Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment (call the parish office at 502-778-5055)
History of Christ the King Parish
Christ the King Parish was formed in 1927 with Father Francis Martin as the first pastor. Irish and German Catholics built a brick church with a central sanctuary flanked by one-story wings and opened a school directed by the Sisters of Loretto. The 1937 Ohio River flood damaged both buildings and parishioners' homes, and a monthly automobile raffle in the 1950s funded a school expansion that peaked at 648 students in 1957. By the 1960s the parish had become predominantly African American, with Mrs. Barbara Dowell becoming the first African-American teacher. The post-Vatican II era brought the first parish council in 1969 and the first lay ministers of the Eucharist in 1970 — Mr. Herman Berding and Brother (later Father) Edward Branch, C.F.X.
- Founded 1927 by Irish and German Catholics
- First pastor: Father Francis Martin
- Sisters of Loretto staffed the parish school from the beginning
- 1937 flood damaged church, school and homes
- School enrollment peaked at 648 in 1957
- Mrs. Barbara Dowell — first African-American teacher (1960s)
- First parish council — 1969
- First lay ministers of the Eucharist — 1970 (Herman Berding and Br. Edward Branch, C.F.X.)
The School Years
A parish school directed by the Sisters of Loretto was central to Christ the King from the start. After decades of growth the school merged into All Saints Preparatory Academy as a regional school in 1990, but shrinking enrollment forced the academy to close in 1995. While the school was open, parishioners ran a preschool, a music academy for boys and girls, and a day center for intellectually disabled adults inside the school building — ministries that extended the parish's reach well beyond Sunday Mass.
- Sisters of Loretto directed the parish school for decades
- All Saints Preparatory Academy — regional school 1990–1995
- Preschool housed in school building
- Music academy for boys and girls
- Day-care center for intellectually challenged teens and adults
Outreach Ministries and Senior Housing
Christ the King was known for developing ministries well beyond the church walls. In 2002 the parish donated land at 44th Street and Broadway and partnered with Catholic Charities to dedicate a 24-unit affordable housing complex for senior citizens — a project Father John Burke helped form. The parish also hosted a St. Vincent de Paul Society conference, and parishioners visited the homebound, the hospitalized and the imprisoned. A preschool, music academy and day center for intellectually disabled adults operated inside the former school building.
- Christ the King Senior Housing Complex — 24 units, dedicated November 17, 2002
- Partnership with Catholic Charities and other agencies
- St. Vincent de Paul Society conference at the parish
- Homebound, hospital and prison ministries
- Preschool, music academy and day center for intellectually disabled adults
Worship Schedule and Sacraments
Worship at Christ the King was described as 'warm and uplifting,' celebrated with extensively trained lay leaders, gifted clergy and religious. Sunday Mass was celebrated at 11:00 a.m., with weekday Masses Monday through Thursday at 8:30 a.m., and Holy Day Masses listed in the bulletin. Reconciliation was offered by appointment.
- Sunday Mass — 11:00 a.m.
- Weekday Mass — Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.
- Holy Day Mass — see bulletin
- Reconciliation — by appointment (502-778-5055)
Pastoral Staff and Office
Day-to-day operations at the parish office were led by a small staff supporting the pastor. The Archdiocese of Louisville's parish page lists an Office Manager and Secretary, an Internet and Technology Manager, and a vacant Director of Music position.
- Pastor: Rev. George Otuma, A.J.
- Office Manager and Secretary: Maya Watkins
- Internet and Technology Manager: Kevin
- Director of Music: Open
Closure in 2025 and Gift to Simmons College
On February 25, 2025, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre issued a decree closing Christ the King Parish effective April 30, 2025, after consulting the Archdiocesan Finance Council and the Priest Council. Declining membership (down to 59 parishioners) and the financial burden of aging historic facilities in 'significant disrepair' were cited as the reasons. On March 7, 2025, the Archbishop announced that the church buildings and land would be gifted to Simmons College of Kentucky — a historically Black college in West Louisville — so the property could continue to serve the community. The parish territory was entrusted to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 2.1 miles away. The final Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2025, was concelebrated by Father George Otuma and former pastor Father John Burke, and Chad White, dean of Simmons' religious studies program, received the key to the church building.
- Decree of closure signed February 25, 2025
- Parish officially closed April 30, 2025
- Territory entrusted to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
- Buildings and land gifted to Simmons College of Kentucky
- Final Mass — Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2025
- Father John Burke preached at the closing Mass
- Chad White received the key to the church building on behalf of Simmons College
Contact and Parish Information
Christ the King Parish was located at 718 South 44th Street, Louisville, KY 40211-2722, in the Archdiocese of Louisville. The parish could be reached by phone at (502) 778-5055, by fax at (502) 776-5120, and by email at [email protected]. The parish's official online presence was its Archdiocesan page at archlou.org; following the 2025 closure, the territory is now served by Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.
- Address: 718 South 44th Street, Louisville, KY 40211-2722
- Phone: (502) 778-5055
- Fax: (502) 776-5120
- Email: [email protected]
- Archdiocese of Louisville parish page: archlou.org/parishes/christ-the-king-louisville/
- Parish established 1927; closed April 30, 2025
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis Martin1927–
Founding pastor of Christ the King Parish
- Rev. John R. Burke1986–2004
Served as pastor of St. Denis and Christ the King together 1986–2004; helped form the Christ the King Senior Housing Complex dedicated Nov. 17, 2002; later called his years at Christ the King 'the happiest years of my priesthood'
- Rev. John T. Judieca. 2018
Listed as pastor in the 2018 Archdiocese of Louisville directory
- Rev. George Otuma, A.J.through April 30, 2025
Final pastor of Christ the King; concurrently pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Augustine parishes; member of the Apostles of Jesus religious congregation