Hope and a measure of heartbreak intermingled during a press conference at Simmons College of Kentucky March 7 to announce the closure of Christ the King Church and the decision to donate the West Louisville property to the historically Black college.
Acknowledging that “closing a parish is never, ever an easy decision,” Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre explained the Archdiocese of Louisville’s decision to make a gift of the property during the press conference.
“To honor the history of Christ the King and to keep the mission of the property in service to the community, we are entrusting this property to Simmons College and donating it to them to advance the common good in this area,” he said.
Commending the college’s president, Dr. Kevin Cosby, on his efforts to expand the college’s academic programs and resources, Archbishop Fabre said, “By gifting the property of Christ the King to Simmons College, we know that the building will be used to make a positive impact on the people of West Louisville.”
Christ the King Church, located at 718 South 44th St., was established in 1927. Membership has declined in recent years, down to just 59 members, and it has had many more funerals than baptisms, according to parish records.
Declining membership, coupled with the financial burden of caring for aging historic facilities that are in “significant disrepair,” led to the decision to close the parish, according to a decree signed by the archbishop Feb. 25.
The parish will officially close on April 30, according to the decree, and the parish territory will be entrusted to the care of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, which is located 2.1 miles away.
Kim Jackson, who attended the press conference, has been a parishioner of Christ the King for more than 45 years, and she also attended the parish and school as a child.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said of the closure. “It’s going to be a sad day for us at Christ the King parish. We love our church; we love our congregation.
“We know the change had to happen,” she added. “This is the best change we can ask for.”
Jackson said the archbishop met with parishioners last July and “we knew it would probably lead to closure.”
She heard that as a call to action.
“We thought, we need to be proactive about what happens to our church,” she said, noting that she lives just half a block away. She had already been in conversation with neighborhood friends who were concerned about the property, she said, including Vanessa Lackey, Kathy Cooksie-Neal, Sen. Gerald Neal, Marsha Moorman and Jim Glass, all members of the Westover Subdivision Association.
After the meeting with the archbishop, Jackson said she called Lackey, president of the association, who happens to live across the street from Dr. Cosby. They quickly drew him into the conversation.
“We talked for about an hour and then he asked, ‘Who do I need to talk to?’ ” Jackson recalled.
Dr. Cosby said during the press conference that he well remembers the West Louisville of his childhood, a vibrant community ripe with thriving businesses and families. He said he learned about the Catholic faith, not from reading about it, but by encountering those who practiced it. And when white families started leaving West Louisville in the middle of the last century, one white family took a stand and put up a sign that said, “Not for Sale,” he recalled.
It was the Logsdon family, longtime parishioners of Christ the King. They were his neighbors and they made a lasting impression, he noted.
“I live in West Louisville because I remember the West Louisville of my childhood,” said Dr. Cosby, adding that his sister attended Loretto High School adjacent to Christ the King and he used to watch practices on the Flaget High School fields.
He noted that the area shifted in the intervening years from “a place to love” to “a place to leave.”
With the gift of Christ the King, Dr. Cosby said, “The archdiocese is saying to West Louisville that we want West Louisville to be a place to love.”
Simmons is still planning how to use the property but leaders said they expect the donation to help the school expand its academic programming, attract more students and do more job development.
Simmons has seen dramatic growth since 2021, according to Dr. Wil Lucas, vice president of enrollment management. That year enrollment was 162. It has grown steadily each year and stands at more than 500 now, he said.
Apostle of Jesus Father George Otuma, pastor of Christ the King, said after the press conference that he was feeling hopeful after hearing about Simmons’ outlook.
“This is heartbreaking for my parish; I do feel the emotions,” he said. “But I think this is the first time I will have good sleep. I am very encouraged.”
He was particularly moved by Simmons’ history. The school traces its roots to efforts of Black leaders just months after the Civil War ended to create educational opportunities for Black people.
“It is amazing,” he said. “We can try to give support (to Simmons). It will benefit the community so much.”
Father Otuma acknowledged that the closure is difficult for parishioners, but said that it’s a good time to move forward.
“I think this is a moment to. . . move ahead with what the Lord has provided us at this moment in time.”
Father Otuma is also pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Augustine Church, which is located 2.9 miles from Christ the King. Also nearby are St. Martin de Porres Church (1.3 miles) and Good Shepherd Church (2.9 miles).
