About Our Lord Christ the King · Cincinnati, Ohio
Our Lord Christ the King is a Roman Catholic parish in Cincinnati's Mt. Lookout neighborhood (Linwood Avenue), founded in 1926 as the first parish in the world dedicated to Our Lord under the title "King" — established the same year Pope Pius XI created the feast of Christ the King. Now part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light "Family of Parishes" alongside St. Stephen, St. Rose, St. Francis de Sales, and Holy Cross-Immaculata, the parish combines its historic Indiana limestone church, the Cardinal Pacelli Catholic School (PreK–8, now serving over 400 students), and the 2018 Cross and Crown Atrium into a single campus in the Linwood/Ellison/Mt. Lookout area east of downtown Cincinnati.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- Our Lord Christ the King (Our Lord Jesus Christ under the title "King")
- Rector
- Rev. Adam Puntel
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Metropolitan Archdiocese); the parish belongs to the Beacons of Light "South 8 Deanery" Family of Parishes along with St. Stephen, St. Rose, St. Francis de Sales, and Holy Cross-Immaculata.
Why belong here
Our Lord Christ the King is a parish with nearly a century of Catholic life in Cincinnati's Mt. Lookout neighborhood and a unique distinction as the first parish in the world named for Our Lord under the title "King." Active parishioners can worship in a 1957 Indiana limestone church, send their children to Cardinal Pacelli Catholic School (PreK–8, over 400 students), spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration every Friday morning, and grow in faith through RCIA, CCD, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium for ages 4–6, and adult formation like the Riverview Men's Group and Lenten Soup Suppers — all on one connected campus built around the 2018 Cross and Crown Atrium.
Mass times at Our Lord Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–4:15 p.m. (in the church, before the 4:30 p.m. Vigil Mass — published in the parish's regular confession schedule)
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon (Eucharistic Adoration in the church)
- Benediction follows Adoration at approximately 11:50 a.m. before the Eucharist is returned to the Tabernacle
Parish History
Our Lord Christ the King was founded December 5, 1926 in Cincinnati's Mt. Lookout neighborhood with 225 worshippers at its first Mass in the Lin-Del Building. Established by papal direction, it was the first parish in the world to bear the title of Christ the King. A temporary church went up in 25 days in 1927, the school opened the same year, and the present Indiana limestone church was dedicated in 1957. Cardinal Pacelli School was named for Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, who blessed its cornerstone in 1937 and later became Pope Pius XII.
- First Mass: December 5, 1926 (Lin-Del Building, Mt. Lookout Square)
- Founded with 132 Catholic families under Fr. Edward J. Quinn, WWI chaplain
- Temporary church built in 25 days (1927); Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur opened the school with 108 students
- Cardinal Pacelli (later Pius XII) blessed school cornerstone on Oct. 31, 1937
- Current Indiana limestone church dedicated May 22, 1957 (architect Edward J. Schulte)
- Cross and Crown Atrium completed 2018 ("City on the Hill" capital campaign)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is pastored as part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light South 8 Deanery family of parishes. Fr. Adam Puntel serves as pastor, with parochial vicars assigned to the family and a Director of Religious Education coordinating faith formation for parish and school families.
- Rev. Adam Puntel — Pastor
- Rev. Eric Roush — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Barry Windholtz — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Christopher Komoroski — Parochial Vicar (effective July 1, 2023)
- Emily Daley — Director of Religious Education (513-321-2146, [email protected])
Liturgy & Music
The parish choir provides musical leadership for the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass from September through June and for Christmas and Holy Week services, drawing on chant, polyphony, and contemporary choral works. The parish also returned to distributing Holy Communion under both species (bread and wine) at Vigil and Sunday Masses beginning Pentecost 2023.
- Parish Choir leads 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass (Sept–June)
- Choir sings at Christmas and Holy Week services
- Precious Blood re-introduced at Vigil and Sunday Masses (since Pentecost 2023)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's education ministries serve parishioners of every age, from infants through adults. Emily Daley, Director of Religious Education, coordinates the programs alongside Cardinal Pacelli Catholic School.
- Cardinal Pacelli Catholic School (Pre-School through Grade 8, 400+ students)
- Sunday child care for ages 1–3
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — Sunday Pre-School for ages 4–6
- CCD — religious education for school-age children
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — adult conversion process
- Lenten Soup Suppers
- Riverview Men's Group
Cardinal Pacelli Catholic School
Founded in 1927 with 108 students taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Cardinal Pacelli School today enrolls more than 400 students in preschool through eighth grade. The school is named for Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, who blessed its cornerstone on October 31, 1937, and later became Pope Pius XII. The school is now physically connected to the church and parish offices through the 2018 Cross and Crown Atrium.
- Pre-School through Grade 8
- Founded 1927; Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur staffed the school from the start
- Renamed in honor of Cardinal Pacelli (later Pius XII)
- Connected to church and parish via the 2018 Cross and Crown Atrium
The Cross and Crown Atrium & Campus
Completed in 2018 as the centerpiece of the "City on the Hill" capital campaign, the Cross and Crown Atrium physically links the church, Cardinal Pacelli School, and the parish into a unified campus. The new gathering area added a community room, cafeteria, parish offices, and updated facilities, reflecting the parish's growth into a multi-generational Catholic community in Mt. Lookout.
- Completed 2018 — links church, school, and parish
- Includes community room, cafeteria, parish offices
- Funded through the "City on the Hill" capital campaign
Beacons of Light & the South 8 Deanery Family
Our Lord Christ the King is participating in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light pastoral planning initiative. The parish has been grouped with St. Stephen, St. Rose, St. Francis de Sales, and Holy Cross-Immaculata as the South 8 Deanery Family of Parishes. Fr. Adam Puntel is the pastor of the family; the Marianist priests continue to pastor St. Francis de Sales. The family is working through a multi-year pathway toward becoming one canonical parish in approximately five years.
- Beacons of Light: multi-year Archdiocese of Cincinnati pastoral planning process
- Family of Parishes: Our Lord Christ the King, St. Stephen, St. Rose, St. Francis de Sales, Holy Cross-Immaculata
- Pastor of the family: Fr. Adam Puntel
- Parochial Vicars assigned to the family: Fr. Eric Roush, Fr. Barry Windholtz, Fr. Christopher Komoroski (effective July 1, 2023)
- Marianist priests continue at St. Francis de Sales
Sacraments
The parish prepares Catholics of all ages for the sacraments of Christian initiation and ongoing life in the Church. Adults enter through the RCIA process; children and teens prepare for First Eucharist, Confirmation, and ongoing faith formation through the parish school and CCD program.
- Baptism (infant through adult via RCIA)
- First Eucharist / First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders / Vocations support
- RCIA for adults entering the Catholic Church
Stay Connected
Parishioners and visitors can stay in touch through the parish's weekly email newsletter ("The Connector"), the official parish website, and the combined Facebook page for Our Lord Christ the King Church and Cardinal Pacelli School.
- The Connector — parish weekly email newsletter
- Official website: ourlordchristtheking.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/ChristTheKing.CardinalPacelli
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward J. Quinn1926 – retired August 1962 (died September 1966 after ~39 years as pastor)
Former WWI Army chaplain; celebrated the first Mass with his Army Mass kit under car-headlight illumination in the Lin-Del Building on December 5, 1926; secured the visit of Cardinal Pacelli in 1937.
- Msgr. Edward J. Grahamsucceeded Fr. Quinn in 1962 – retired 1975
- Rev. Francis G. Lammeier1975 – 1987
- Rev. Gerald Haemmerle1987 – 1997
- Rev. Robert Obermeyer1997 – retired after his Golden (50th) Anniversary of Ordination
Retired after 50 years in the priesthood.
- Rev. Edward Smithsucceeded Fr. Obermeyer
Returned to Christ the King as pastor.
- Rev. Adam Puntelcurrent (Beacons of Light era)
Pastor of the South 8 Deanery family of parishes.