Christ the King Parish – WaKeeney

Founded 1933

Despite large Catholic parishes to the east and west, few Catholics settled in WaKeeney, and even when a parish was formed in 1933, there were just five families.

They began construction of a basement church in 1934, but the Great Depression and subsequent Dust Bowl prevented the raising of funds to complete the church. The start of World War II in 1941 delayed their efforts even longer, as construction materials were diverted to the war effort.

Still, the growing parish continued to raise money for the project. Ground-breaking for a new church on a new site began in 1950, and the new church was dedicated in October 1951.

It was spared major damage when a tornado struck WaKeeney in April 1951. Eight families of the congregation lost their homes, however, and parishioners helped them to recover.

A rectory was completed in 1960, and the first resident pastor was assigned to the parish. A cemetery was started in 1964, and a religious education center was built in 1970.

In the early years, before the parish’s basement church was built, Bethlehem Lutheran Church allowed the Catholics to use their church. That long-standing debt was repaid in 1968 when the Lutheran church burned. The congregation was invited to use Christ the King Church until their sanctuary could be repaired.