Tish Colombi, mayor of Haddonfield, and Msgr. William P. Brennan, pastor of Christ the King Parish, gather Sunday, Nov. 21, at Christ the King for the presentation of a proclamation from the borough recognizing the 75th anniversary of the parish.
HADDONFIELD — Christ the King Parish concluded a yearlong celebration of its 75th anniversary on Sunday, Nov. 21, the feast of Christ the King, with a Mass that marked the parish’s rich history, vibrant present and bright future.
The 75th anniversary Mass was celebrated by Bishop Joseph A. Galante, concelebrated by nine current and former pastors and parochial vicars of Christ the King, and attended by 450 current and former parishioners, relatives and friends.
The bishop noted the continuity of the past, present and future of the parish during his remarks at the Mass.
“It’s always wonderful to celebrate our history, but we celebrate it as a way to look to our horizon,” the bishop said to those gathered in the church, “because history is something that can enable us to learn and to grow and our horizon is built on our history.”
The parish forms and grows
For many years, Catholics from Haddonfield traveled to other communities for Mass on Sundays, then worshiped in a firehouse and later in meeting halls in their hometown before Christ the King Church was incorporated in 1927. The first church building, now the front section of Christ the King School, was erected in 1928.
Two years before the Diocese of Camden was formed, Bishop Moses E. Kiley of the Diocese of Trenton created Christ the King Parish on June 29, 1935. Father, later Msgr., Joseph B. McIntyre was appointed pastor. The parish was formally established on Nov. 24. It encompassed all of the Borough of Haddonfield, and Erlton, Ashland and Deer Park, which today are part of Cherry Hill Township. The parish began with 360 Catholics.
“The reason Christ the King was established 75 years ago was to bring Christ and his love to people in the Haddonfield area,” said Msgr. William P. Brennan, the current pastor of Christ the King. “That reason still exists now 75 years later.”
Msgr. McIntyre, while pastor for 38 years, helped in the establishment of three mission churches of Christ the King — St. Mary’s, Holy Rosary and Queen of Heaven, all in Cherry Hill. He co-founded the House of Charity, the annual diocesan appeal for contributions to support a range of programs throughout South Jersey, at Christ the King in 1964.
Christ the King School opened in the upper floor of the church in 1940 with 150 children. The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, N.Y. arrived in Haddonfield to staff the school. Today, the school serves 320 students in pre-kindergarten to eighth grade.
The current church building, on the corner of Hopkins Avenue and Wood Lane, was constructed and dedicated in 1941. It seats 450 and has a social hall, choir loft and Eucharistic adoration chapel.
“A lot of changes have occurred in these 75 years — buildings being built, buildings being moved, buildings being pulled down — but the fundamental group that stays through thick and thin are the people of the parish. They are the ones that make a parish,” Msgr. Brennan said. “Priests, deacons and sisters may come and go, but it is the love and the dedication of the parishioners that make the parish.”
The first telecast in history of a Roman Catholic Mass took place from Christ the King Church in 1947, when WFIL-TV, now WPVI, broadcast the Christmas Eve Mass.
St. John of God School for Special Children opened at Christ the King in 1965. The Hospitallers of St. John of God arrived from Ireland to staff the school and remained in Haddonfield for several years before moving to their permanent location in Westville Grove.
After the Second Vatican Council, Christ the King changed with the times in the 1960s and 1970s. A parish council formed to collaborate with the pastor in providing leadership, and adult education programs began. The parish enlisted the help of permanent deacons, lectors and Eucharistic ministers.
In the late 1970s and 1980s, the parish pledged to extend a helping hand to the inner-city parishes in Camden. Parishioners’ efforts have included Christmas gift and Easter clothing projects, tutoring of children and partnering with a Camden parish for spiritual and social interaction.
The parish underwent a church renovation program in 1980. It underwent a program to improve the church, hall, school and office facilities and grounds and opened a parish library in the late 1990s.
In 1995, the parish began an effort to encourage parishioners to meet regularly in small groups in homes to help one another connect their faith with everyday life. Several hundred parishioners have participated since then.
Sharing time and faith at Christ the King has helped many parishioners improve their relationships with God and other people over the years, said Arlene Boerum, a longtime parishioner and leader of the Small Christian Communities initiative.
“People have been up and down, but they always support one another,” she said. “What stands out most about this parish is the spirit of the people.”
The first Internet broadcast in history of a Roman Catholic Mass took place from Christ the King Church in 2000, when a wedding the groom’s parents could not attend because of illness was shown on the parish’s Web site on June 17. Since then, the parish has broadcast baptisms, weddings, funerals, first Communion Masses, confirmation Masses and other regularly scheduled and special Masses and services on its Web site.
Christ the King was the location of several gatherings to encourage unity among people of many religions in the early part of the 21st century. An ecumenical prayer service brought together leaders and members of many Christian denominations in 2006. A South Jersey Interfaith Passover Seder helped foster understanding and appreciation for the faith traditions of Jewish and Catholic people in 2008.
“The parish exists so that we may continue to live the reality of that relationship with Jesus Christ that began at our baptism,” Bishop Galante said at the anniversary Mass. “The parish exists so that we can live the reality of who we are.”
The parishioners celebrate
Parishioners celebrated the 75th anniversary of Christ the King with a variety of activities throughout 2010.
Early in the year, parishioners and guests presented a series of lectures about Christian outreach and service. A retreat for women was held, a one-man drama about St. Damien was performed and a parish mission was conducted.
In the autumn, several hundred parishioners attended a family barbecue and a family faith festival. During November a Mass of Remembrance of parishioners and loved ones who have died, and a Mass of Anointing of the Sick were celebrated; a school alumni Mass and reception drew graduates from the 1940s to the 2000s; and couples of many ages participated in a weekend to reenergize their marriages. Also, the 15th annual King’s Run 5-kilometer run, 1-kilometer children’s fun run and 1-mile walk to benefit the school and a craft and vendor fair were held.
“Many people were involved in this celebration — cleaning the church and lower hall, preparing memorabilia, preparing food for the occasion, helping with the special liturgy,” Msgr. Brennan said. “And isn’t that what a parish is all about – each sharing their talents, themselves to make a parish, a faith community.”
The community looks ahead
The parish has 4,220 members. Clergy, religious and parishioners hold leadership and membership roles in ministries and groups involved in worship, Christian formation for children and adults and social development and outreach for their neighbors.
The parishioners’ sharing of their time and talents with their fellow church members and their neighbors makes their pastor optimistic about the future of Christ the King Parish.
“I see a lot of young people — young families with children — coming to church and getting involved in activities and ministries. This is a great sign,” Msgr. Brennan said. “Also, I see many of our youth and teenagers from the parish and school involving themselves in service, helping others, especially children who are less fortunate than they are. To me that is another great sign.”
Christ the King Parish on the Internet
The Christ the King Parish Web site contains several features about the history of the parish:
• More than a dozen parishioners share their memories and stories about the parish on a living history video narrated by Philadelphia sports broadcasting legend and Christ the King parishioner Bill Campbell.
• Archival footage shows occasions from the first 75 years of the parish.
• A photo gallery portrays the progression of the parish from its beginnings to contemporary times.
• A written history chronicles milestones in the growth of the parish from its start to the present.
The parish website also includes written and pictorial looks at the church, its architecture, furnishings, décor, ministries and programs, as well as a link to the webcam in the church and a link to the website for Christ the King Regional School.
The Christ the King Parish website is at www.christ-the-king-parish.org
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