On this page, please look for events that are happening at Cristo Rey. These events would include special Masses, Rosaries, special celebrations, meetings, guest speakers etc. For any events that would be happening at any other church in the area, please click on Diocesan Events.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
1st Friday Adoration
Sign up for an hour or simply show up to stay as long as you are able.
A HISTORY OF CRISTO REY CATHOLIC CHURCH...
On November 22, 1998, the family of Cristo Rey Church celebrated the dedication of their new parish building at 201 West Miller Road. Bishop Carl J. Mengeling presided over the Rite of Dedication Mass. Cristo Rey Church is a pilgrim parish on a journey of faith - "un pueblo que camina." are like the Israelites of old - no strangers to being "on the move."heir journey they have had three different homes where parishioners gather in their struggle and sorrows, with hopes and dreams, for celebrations and fiestas.
The Cristo Rey story began with the arrival of Mexican-Americans in the 1930s and 40s in the Lansing area. Migrants who came from Texas to work in the fields during the summer heard about jobs in Lansing factories. As numbers grew in the area, the Catholic Church made efforts to minister to them. Fr. William McKeon was assigned to St. Mary's Cathedral in the 1950s and was well known in the Latino community for his big heart and boundless energy. He was instrumental in the establishment of a temporary chapel in East Lansing.
In 1961, the Diocese of Lansing purchased a Methodist church between St. Joseph and Main Streets at the corner of South Washington. It was given to the Mexican-American community as its first parish. The first Mass was celebrated on the feast day of "Cristo Rey" (Christ the King) - the last Sunday of October, 1961. Fr. John Walsh, a Maryknoll priest, served as the first pastor. In 1962 he was followed by Fr. Kenneth Favier, who was instrumental in developing catechism classes, strengthening parish societies, and bringing the Cursillo movement to Michigan. Cristo Rey was one of the early Cursillo centers as hundreds of people from all over the state came for this spiritual renewal experience. The Church also became more involved in responding to the social needs of migrants and the urban poor.
A radical change came in the summer of 1966. The construction of the cross-town expressway (I-496) resulted in the demolition of the church. Members were dispersed to other churches until Cristo Rey Community Center opened on Ballard St. in North Lansing. The new facility came from a vision for a center that could respond to growing needs of the Latino community for social services such as job training, legal services, and community organizing. The center opened in March, 1968. Sunday Mass was held in the hall. Fr. McKeon returned in 1970 and served as pastor for five more years. Cristo Rey Community Center has since move to High Street, where it continues its services.
As the community grew in numbers and activities, so did the desire for a parish church. A church building at 5430 S. Washington Avenue was purchased in July, 1978, and dedicated in February, 1979. Fr. B. Thomas McCloskey was pastor (July 1976-1986). The church continued to be a place for leadership development and celebration of Latino faith and culture. Spiritual renewal continued through Cursillos, Marriage Encounters, RE-NEW, prayer and Bible sharing groups. Fr. McKeon returned as pastor from 1986 until 1989. The Passionist Sisters came to Lansing in 1980 and have served in the parish and the Lansing area since then. Fr. Thomas Smith, OSFS, served as pastor from 1989 to 1993.
Cristo Rey Church is known in Lansing for the annual Good Friday Via Crucis and the yearly Fiesta, now one of the largest in Michigan. The Parish proudly celebrated the "burning of the mortgage" in September 1995 as the debt and loans on the buildings, property, and renovation for the S. Washington Ave. location were paid off.
In his welcoming letter for the dedication of the Miller Rd. church, Fr. Fred Thelen, pastor since 1993, said, "Every move brings its struggles and uncertainties as well as its promise and hope for the future. The labor of many hands and the faith and love of many hearts have brought us to this new "house" of the people of God who are the living stones of the Church. We welcome everyone to be part of our family of faith. "Nuestra casa es tu casa" as we are fond of saying. We celebrate the richness of many cultural traditions joining together to worship one God. We are especially blessed in the Hispanic/Latino focus that has been an historic part of our mission".
"My husband & I have been members of the Catholic church all of our lives. We have been members of Cristo Rey Church for 34+ years. During our lifetime we have received so many blessings from God. We have been blessed with family and friends. Our life has not always been easy. But without God we could not even be. We have always given to the Church, even when times were tough financially. As we were reminiscing we remembered that whenever my husband got paid, the first thing he would do was to put money in the Offertory Envelope. Then we would take out money for the bills, then food. Last, and if any was left over, we saved for us and for our children for those things that we would need for school and for our home. There were many times when my husband would end up with 1-5 dollars in his wallet and no money in our savings account by the time we paid off what we needed to pay off and this would last until next payday. I remember a time when payday seemed so far away and I would be tempted to use the money that was in the church envelope for something the kids or I needed. But I never did. I could not take back what we had already decided we would give to God. After a few years I began to notice that we had now 5 or 10 dollars left over. Then later 10 or 20. We didn't feel the pressure of 'what can I not pay in order to pay this or the other unexpected bill?' But sometimes we even had enough to splurge and take the kids out to eat at a fast food place or to order pizza once a week. The change was gradual. As we looked back we saw that our contributions never failed. If we went away for the weekend to see my family, my husband always put money in the envelope for the Sunday's offering ahead of time. If we went on vacation, the same was done. Then we would bring in our contributions to the Mass the first Sunday we were back. We always gave to God first... then our bills... then us.
"We also noticed that during this time, because we were going through a stronger relationship with Our God, that He provided for us all we really needed. How could we deny Him the honor of giving back to Him for all that He did for us? Money just wasn't enough. We could not just come to Mass and leave. We had to give of ourselves...
"At the beginning we got really nervous because our children were very small. But I always remember Sr. Maria de Los Angeles saying, 'Give to God and He will take care of your family.' I have learned that this is very true four children have been blessed also. As I saw that even though my husband and I have never been people of money, we never seemed to lack anything. We owe Our Father so much that I can't even imagine not giving back to him the money, time, talents, and resources that we thought we never had, but He had given us.
"We give because God love us even though many times we are unlovable. We consider it an honor and a privilege to give to the Catholic Church where my husband and I received all of our Sacraments, and we especially give to Cristo Rey because this is where our children have been Baptized, received their First Communion and Confirmation and were even married. God and his people, through the Catholic Church, and especially Cristo Rey, have prayed and cried for and with us and our loved ones, have forgiven us, educated us, they love us, have accepted us, shaped us and have been there for us.
"How can we not give back?"
