CHRIST THE KING PARISH BEGINNINGS

 

OUR FIRST BUILDING

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Christ the King Parish began in 1955 as a mission of Holy Cross Parish. Fr. Azarie and Msgr. Charles Empson were the first priests of the Archdiocese of Saint Boniface to serve the parish.

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That same year, the City of St. Vital assisted the parish by offering land at a fair price at the corner of St. Mary’s Road and Lennox Avenue. An abandoned building stood on the property and, following renovations, it was repurposed for parish use. The second floor served as a chapel, while the main floor housed a school with four classrooms.

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As the parish grew to approximately 2,000 members, the chapel became too small to accommodate Sunday Mass. For a time, Mass was celebrated at the St. Vital YMCA.

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In 1958, a new chapel with an attached school and auditorium was constructed on the St. Mary’s Road property. Sunday Mass was then held in the auditorium.

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On September 21, 1958, Christ the King Parish marked a significant milestone with a double ceremony. Rev. Father P.J. Collison blessed the cornerstone of the new chapel and school, and Rev. Father Robert Baxter was installed as Pastor.

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Despite these developments, worship in the auditorium proved unsatisfactory. Parishioners soon began planning for the construction of a dedicated church building beside the existing structure.
 

The new church, standing 68 feet tall with an inverted V-shaped design, became the tallest building in the City of St. Vital and provided seating for 600 people.

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The opening ceremonies were attended by Premier Duff Roblin, St. Vital Mayor Harry Collins, members of St. Vital City Council, MLA Larry Desjardins, and other civic and religious leaders. Ministers representing four other faith traditions were also present.

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The first Mass in the new church was celebrated on November 15, 1965. On December 19, 1965, the church was formally blessed by Archbishop Maurice Baudoux.

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Around 1996, Christ the King Parish undertook a redesign of its worship space. The renovation included the addition of a chapel, a new baptismal font, and the transition to inclusive seating.