By Father Larry Sullivan, Pastor, Christ the King Parish
Tradition, shared experiences, collective memories.
These are the things that Christ the King School and Parish have created over the course of 80 years. And, they’re what bring us together as a community this fall. Christ the King School will celebrate its 80th anniversary in September, and to commemorate we are planning a grand celebration on Sat., Sept. 16 – CK80 Come Together. More than 650 tickets have been sold and our guests include parishioners, school families and alumni from around the United States.
We will begin the celebration at 5 p.m. with a special Mass with Bishop Jerry Kicanas as the main celebrant and guest homilist Fr. John Costello. During Mass we will honor the Sisters of Mercy, CK’s founding teachers, and Allan Dressel, a beloved CK teacher, coach, parent and alumnus. Several former CK choir members will join the choir for the occasion. The Mass will be followed by a celebration with food, drink, musical entertainment by the Gentlemen of Leisure band and lots of surprises. The Christ the King School Foundation Board, along with honorary chairpersons, Matt and Joyce Walsh and Dan and Patty Walsh, have been working to create an unforgettable event.
The family of Christ the King is a diverse community in the heart of the Beverly neighborhood in Chicago. We are proud of our varied ethnic backgrounds and strong bonds between generations. We are a people of deep Catholic faith and solid Christian values.
Today, our school serves more than 370 children, dedicated to providing education of the highest quality, and guiding these children to be faith-filled and considerate young adults. I like to think that our students are who they are, in large part, because of the love, time and energy CK dedicates to each and every student. There is little doubt that the bonds our students make in this grammar school are unique. Many of our CK alumni have made lifelong friendships in the halls of Christ the King and have deep ties to the Beverly/Morgan Park community. Many people who are no longer in Chicago, still call CK their “home” parish. And we welcome these friends home.
The Christ the King School community has 4,447 graduates, many living and working around the world, and each with a story to tell. We look forward to hearing those stories on Sept. 16 and showcasing the changes in the school and the new traditions CK has crafted in recent years.
I am proud to say that Christ the King School and Parish are thriving, and we continue to serve each other and those in nearby communities generation after generation. We look forward to welcoming all friends of CK in September and look forward to the next 80 years. Event and ticket information can be found at www.ck-school.org.
