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Christ the King Parish

Springfield, IL

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“And He shall reign forever and ever.”

Revelation 11:15


Since 1963, Christ the King Parish has been a source of God’s love and grace for the west side of Springfield, and the greater community. Through love of God and neighbor in prayer, service, formation, and hospitality, we seek to be active coworkers with Christ our King in building-up his kingdom. We hope that you will find this website helpful. Please contact us for further information or assistance.

God bless you!


Holy Week Schedule

March 28: Holy Thursday, 5:30PM Mass
March 29: Good Friday, 5:30PM Mass
March 30: Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, 8:00PM Mass
March 31: Easter Sunday Masses at 8:00AM and 10:00AM.  (There will be not be a 5:00PM Mass on Easter)

  • During Holy Week, the weekday Mass will be at 7:00AM on Monday thru Wednesday; there are no morning Masses on Holy Thursday or Good Friday.
  • Confessions will be heard at their normal times on Monday thru Wednesday.
  • Confessions will also be heard on Good Friday from 4:00PM to 5:00PM.
 
 
23 Mar, 2024
We are presented this Palm Sunday with the Passion according to Mark (14:1-15:47); this is believed to be the oldest of the Passion narratives and also the oldest part of Mark’s Gospel. The Passion begins with the ominous scene of the chief priests and scribes plotting to arrest Jesus and put Him to death. They feared His teachings, His authority, and His growing influence among the people. Meanwhile, Jesus, fully aware of what lay ahead, prepares for the Passover meal with His disciples, instituting the Eucharist for the Church as a perpetual memorial of His sacrifice. As we accompany Jesus through His agony in the garden of Gethsemane, we witness His profound human struggle. He prays to the Father, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will (Mark 14:36).” We see that Jesus’s human nature is very real in his vulnerability and pain while submitting to the will of the Father with unwavering obedience and love. The betrayal by Judas, the denial by Peter, and the abandonment by the disciples underscore the harsh reality of human frailty and sin. Yet, amidst these betrayals, Jesus demonstrates forgiveness and mercy, exemplifying His message of love and reconciliation. The subsequent trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate highlight the injustice and cruelty that Jesus endured. He is mocked, scourged, and crowned with thorns, bearing the weight of our sins upon His shoulders. Despite the agony and humiliation, Jesus remains steadfast in His mission, never wavering in His commitment to fulfill the Father's plan of redemption. The pinnacle of Jesus' sacrifice unfolds as He is nailed to the cross at Golgotha. In His final moments, He cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mark 15:34),” echoing the depths of His suffering and the profound mystery of His union with humanity's pain and brokenness. The Father has not abandoned Jesus, but just as sin separates us from God, so Jesus felt the pain that comes from such separation when He took on himself the sin of the entire human race. We know the story does not end at the cross. The ultimate victory comes with Jesus' resurrection, affirming His triumph over sin and death. Through His sacrifice, we are offered the gift of salvation and the promise of eternal life. As we reflect on this Gospel passage and enter into Holy Week, let us remember that Jesus' sacrifice was not just an event in history but a living reality that is meant to continually transform our lives if we allow it to do so. We are called to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him with unwavering faith and love. May the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ be our strength, our hope, and our salvation. Schedule for Holy Week and Easter Monday : Mass at 7AM; confessions heard from 6:30AM to 6:50AM. Tuesday : Mass at 7AM; confessions heard from 6:30AM to 6:50AM; Chrism Mass at the Cathedral at 6:30PM. Wednesday : Mass at 7AM; confessions heard from 6:30AM to 6:50AM; School Mass at 8:30AM; Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 12:30PM to 5PM, ending with Benediction; confessions heard from 4:15PM to 4:45PM; Living Stations of the Cross presented by CTK school students at 6:00PM. Holy Thursday : Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 5:30PM followed by adoration in Roesch Hall until 10:00PM; there is no morning Mass on Holy Thursday. Good Friday : Stations of the Cross at 12:05PM; confessions heard from 4:00PM to 5:00PM; Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 5:30PM; there is no morning Mass on Good Friday. Holy Saturday : Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter at 8:00PM; there are no confessions heard on Holy Saturday and there is no 4:30PM Mass. Easter Sunday : Masses at 8:00AM and 10:00AM; there are no afternoon confessions heard and there is no 5:00PM Mass. Blessings to you and yours for a grace-filled Holy Week! Father Chris House
15 Mar, 2024
This Sunday marks a turn in our Lenten journey; with the coming of the Fifth Sunday of Lent we now enter into the second part of this penitential season known as Passiontide. Following this Sunday, this time is marked by our use of the custom of veiling images in the Church, which not only mark a liturgical shift but also invites us to sharpen our focus. The custom comes from the Gospel reading from John which was always read on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, before the reform of the Lectionary, where Jesus hid himself from the crowds while in Jerusalem. This Sunday’s Gospel reading from John invites us to reflect on the profound sacrifice that Jesus willingly embraced for the salvation of the human race. In this passage, Jesus speaks openly about his impending death and what it will accomplish. Some Greeks approach Philip, expressing their desire to see Jesus. This exchange points to the universality of Jesus' mission. It's not just for the Jews but for all people, regardless of their background or nationality. Jesus responds with words that echo throughout history: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." What does Jesus mean by "being glorified"? It's not about worldly power or fame but about the ultimate act of love and sacrifice. Jesus compares his upcoming death to a grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying, producing much fruit. In this analogy, Jesus reveals the paradox of the Christian faith: through death comes life. Jesus acknowledges the anguish he feels about his impending suffering, but he also submits to God's will. He knows that his death is not an end but a beginning—a new birth for humanity. His sacrifice will reconcile humanity with God and bring eternal life to all who believe in him. As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, we are called to reflect on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice in our own lives. We are invited to embrace the cross, not as a symbol of suffering alone but as a sign of hope and redemption. Just as Jesus surrendered himself to the Father's will, we are called to surrender our lives to God, trusting in his plan for us. In the midst of our own trials and tribulations, let us remember the words of Jesus: "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be." Let us walk with the Lord, bearing our crosses with courage and humility, knowing that through our own sacrifices, we participate in the redemptive work of Christ. Make Plans for Holy Week As we prepare to enter Holy Week with next Sunday’s celebration of Palm Sunday, I want to invite you to prayerfully consider participating in all of the celebrations of Holy Week. The celebration of Easter (Masses at 8:00AM and 10:00AM; there will be not be a 5:00PM Mass on Easter) has a completely different feel when it is preceded by the celebrations of Holy Thursday (5:30PM) and Good Friday (5:30PM). If you have never been to the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday (8:00PM), please consider doing so. This year’s vigil will be a first for me as we have seven children from our school who will be fully initiated into the Church. On Tuesday of Holy Week, at 6:30PM, Bishop Paprocki will celebrate the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral where the Holy Oils will be blessed and consecrated for the year and when the priests of the diocese will renew their priestly commitment. This is another beautiful Mass that I invite you to consider attending. Weekday Mass will be at 7:00AM on Monday thru Wednesday; there are no morning Masses on Holy Thursday or Good Friday. Confessions will be heard at their normal times on Monday thru Wednesday. Confessions will also be heard on Good Friday from 4:00PM to 5:00PM. Finally, the Wednesday evening Stations of the Cross during Holy Week will be “living Stations” offered by our grade school students. The Stations that evening will be at 6:00PM. All are welcome! Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
08 Mar, 2024
Look and Live Growing up, when watching a sporting event on television, it was not at all uncommon to see someone in the stands holding a sign that read “John 3:16.” The words of John 3:16 are given to us this Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday. John is recounting a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a respected member of the Sanhedrin. Later in John’s Gospel, Nicodemus will caution the elders not to rush to a hasty judgement concerning Jesus and his ministry without attempting to understand his words and actions. Before Jesus expresses to Nicodemus the words that we have come to know from John 3:16, he centers the conversation on the impending mystery of the Cross. Jesus refers to an event concerning Moses and the Israelites that is recounted in the Book of Numbers. The people grumbled against God, so God sent poisonous seraph serpents into their camp causing many to die. Moses interceded on behalf of the people and God, in response, commanded Moses to fashion a bronze serpent and to erect it on a pole and anyone who looked at it would be healed of the poison of the serpents. This lifting up of the bronze serpent prefigures the lifting up of Jesus on the Cross so that whoever looks upon Jesus in faith will be saved from the poison of the original serpent given through the bite of the sin. This brings us to one of the most well-known phrases in all of the Scriptures: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. The concept of “the world” in the Gospels is many times equated with darkness and opposition to God, but we hear in this discourse from Jesus that, even though the world is covered in darkness and steeped in sin, God still loves the world. In the mystery of the Cross and Christ crucified we see God’s ultimate judgment on the world: not condemnation and wrath but love and mercy. We must remember that this love and mercy are not irresistible. We must have hearts and lives that are open to receiving these gifts of God’s goodness. Jesus is the light that has come into the world and we must not be afraid to approach him. The light that he gives exposes our sinfulness, but only so that we might confess it and choose his love and forgiveness as a remedy for it. Sadly, there are many people who cannot bear the light, who are unwilling to acknowledge their own sinfulness and their need for a savior. They prefer to remain in the darkness with a false sense of fulfillment and happiness, neither of which can truly exist apart from a real and lasting relationship with God. This Fourth Sunday of Lent is known as Laetare Sunday, a Latin command meaning rejoice ! We are called to rejoice because our Lenten journey is now more than half over and the joy of Easter fast approaches. We are called to rejoice in the depth of God’s love for us which is fully revealed through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus which we will soon commemorate. As we continue our Lenten journey, let us be mindful of why we are fasting, praying, and giving alms. All of these practices should be responses of a heart that is grateful to God for the mercy that he has shown to us and marks of a desire for continued conversion. Let us look upon Christ crucified with eyes of faith and hearts open to his saving grace. As with Moses and the seraph staff of old, so now with our crucified Lord: look with faith and live. Lenten Wisdom “Lenten practices of giving up pleasures are a good reminder that the purpose of life is not pleasure. The purpose of life is to attain a perfect life, all truth and undying ecstatic love—which is the definition of God. In pursuing that happiness, we find happiness." – Venerable Fulton Sheen "We must trust in the mighty power of God's mercy. We are all sinners, but His grace transforms us and makes us new." - Pope Benedict XVI Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
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Mass Times


Saturday Vigil: 4:30pm

Sunday: 8:00am, 10:00am, 5:00pm


​Daily Mass:

Monday thru Friday: 7am


Office Hours

Monday thru Friday: 8am - 4pm

Confession:

Monday - Friday: 6:30am - 6:50am
Wednesday: 4:15 - 4:45pm
Saturday: 3:00 - 4:00pm
Sunday: 4:00 - 4:45pm


Eucharist Adoration:

Wednesdays from 12:30pm - 5:00pm


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Live Streaming at Christ the King

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Christ the King Parish Springfield IL

 

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Schedule for Live Stream

Saturday 4:30 p.m. Mass


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