Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

Early years

The institute was founded in 1990 by Gilles Wach and Philippe Mora in Gabon, Africa, where the institute still has missions, notably in the capital Libreville. Its canonical status was of diocesan right until October 7, 2008. On that date it was granted the status of pontifical right by decree, titled "Saeculorum Rex", of the Pontifical commission Ecclesia Dei, on the occasion of the visit of Camille Perl, vice-president of the commission. Deacons and priests are incardinated into the institute, whose prior general has the right to call to orders. The institute is currently based in Gricigliano, Italy in the Archdiocese of Florence. The international seminary of St. Philip Neri is also located there.

Wach currently serves as prior general and Mora as rector of the seminary. Both received their priestly formation under the late Cardinal Siri of Genoa. As of 2016 the institute numbered over ninety-five priests. The Institute also includes clerical oblates, who go through formation but are not ordained as priests, and who help in the several apostolates of the Institute.

The charism of the institute is based on the example of its three patron saints:

The institute also honors as its primary patroness the Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus is the patroness of its African missions.

Apostolates

In the United States, the institute is located in Illinois, Wisconsin, Saint Louis, Missouri, New Jersey, California, Arizona, and Michigan, with its national headquarters in Chicago. In Chicago, the institute is restoring the historic St. Clara/St. Gelasius Church on Carmelite Way. Upon completion it will become the Shrine of Christ the King.

Its oldest United States apostolate is St. Mary Oratory in Rockford, Illinois, and its newest is St Joseph Oratory in Detroit, Michigan. In Kansas City, Missouri, in 2005, Bishop Robert Finn established an oratory (a public church where the Mass and other rites may be administered) for the institute at an historic church otherwise in danger of being closed. The superior for the United States is Fr. Matthew Talarico.

The institute is active in the dioceses of Liverpool, Lancaster, Shrewsbury and East Anglia in Great Britain; in 2011 the Bishop of Shrewsbury invited the institute to re-open the church of Saints Peter, Paul and Philomena in New Brighton.

Since St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2006, the institute has had a presence in the Diocese of Limerick in the Republic of Ireland. In Limerick they purchased Sacred Heart Church, Since May 2010, the institute in Ireland has expanded into the diocese of Galway where weekly Mass is offered at St Mary on the Hill, Claddagh. Monthly Masses are offered by priests of the Institute in Ennis every first Sunday of the month and in Belfast every second Sunday of the month. In addition to its oratories in the United States and missions in Africa, the institute also has apostolates in France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The institute is especially active in the domain of education, running schools in France (Montpellier, Lille and Versailles), Belgium (Brussels International Catholic School), and Africa.

During its yearly ordinations week in Italy, the institute has had visits by the Cardinals Raymond Leo Burke, Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Darío Castrillón Hoyos, Giuseppe Siri and Archbishop Camille Perl.

Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus

The Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest are a women's community (founded in 2004) associated with the institute. They are also based in Gricigliano. The sisters are non-cloistered contemplatives, and their way of life is based on the Benedictine tradition. The community celebrates Mass and the Divine Office using the traditional Roman Rite. When the number of sisters has increased sufficiently, the community plans to locate convents near the institute's churches, where the sisters will perform apostolic work such as teaching. As of 2016, the sisters numbered about thirty. The sisters have established a presence in Germany.

Mass and the Divine Office celebrated in the classical Roman form, form the rhythm of each day. Needlework and embroidery projects form an important part of their daily "Ora et Labora" ("pray and work").

Society of the Sacred Heart

The Society of the Sacred Heart is a lay society associated with the Institute of Christ the King. The lay members of the society pledge to live according to a modified Benedictine rule, within their vocation. Through membership in the society, lay faithful participate in the spiritual and social missions of the institute through prayer, devotions, spiritual direction, and study of the spiritual writings of St. Francis de Sales.

Superiors

Gilles Wach is the founder and prior general.

Philippe Mora is the co-founder and rector of the international St. Philip Neri seminary in Gricigliano.

R. Michael Schmitz is the vicar general of the institute and provincial of France.

Choir dress