-
July 19, 2023Anyone who forgets their history is doomed to repeat it. So, Father Michael Koncik, C.Ss.R., reminded attendants in opening his Juneteenth remarks on the occasion commemorating the former Christ the King Church and School in Orangeburg, SC. Christ the King may no longer stand, but a stalwart contingent of alumni and friends of the school and congregants of the church recently convened to memorialize its existence. Two historical markers approved and authorized by the State of South Carolina were unveiled and blessed by the Vicar General of the Diocese of Charleston. The Oblate Sisters of Providence joined the ceremonies by a video link. It was a most fitting tribute.
The Redemptorist Fathers embedded themselves into the fabric of Christ the King. Beginning as early as the 1930s at Holy Trinity Church in Orangeburg, the priests made themselves part of the local community. Unfortunately, that community was racially divided, a reality that made life very hard. With two HBCU’s in town then, the order inevitably began to expand its ministry onto and around their campuses. Their proselytization and evangelical efforts proved successful as members of the Black community converted to Catholicism in growing numbers. This brand of success, however, was not accepted favorably by the white Catholics in town. They were not any more eager to integrate the Holy Trinity congregation than the public schools and facilities in town. They did not wish to share their church pews with African Americans even if they happened to be Catholic.
Undaunted, the Redemptorists pressed on with their mission. Toward the end of the 1930s they collaborated with members of the African American community to construct another church. That church was called Christ the King. In 1942 they opened the doors of the church to offer mass and provide the sacraments for an eagerly growing parish.
The new congregation blossomed as the churchgoers moved to establish a choir, a Knights of Columbus chapter, a CYO on campus, and a Holy Name Society branch making Christ the King a well-known feature of Orangeburg.
The Oblate Sister of Providence arrived in 1943 to begin teaching at Christ the King School. The sisters educated students from kindergarten through the eighth grade. At the behest of the Redemptorists, the diocese afforded financial assistance to help expand the school. Over the following three decades Christ the King nurtured hundreds of students, many of whom went on to advance their academic careers or soar toward unprecedented professional heights.
From Juneteenth 2023 forward, no one will ever be able to forget Christ the King Church and School in Orangeburg, SC. Long will they remember the Redemptorist Fathers who came with unbridled zeal to make seemingly impossible dreams come true for so many souls who grew up and lived in this place. The names of Father Francis Donlan, Father James McGonagle, and others will remain etched in the hearts and minds of Catholics in this city forever.
