Christ the King

Introduction

Christ the King in Leeds is a modest brick church in simplified Romanesque style, the first of several churches built after the First World War in the suburbs of Leeds with support from the New Mission Fund.

History

The church was built in 1928 on the initiative of Mgr William Hawkswell, secretary to Bishops Gordon and Cowgill, to serve new housing estates west of the city centre. The church was built from designs by the Bradford architects Empsall, Clarkson and Clarke, with financial support from the New Mission Fund.

In 1928 the Bramley and Stanningley areas became a separate parish, with the opening of the church of Christ the King. In 1931 a parish room was built, presumably also from designs by Empsall, Clarkson and Clarke. In 1936 a school was opened, served by Sisters from a convent newly-established in the parish, and the presbytery was also built about this time. In 2011 the parish church of Holy Spirit at Stanningley was closed, and the area was reincorporated into Christ the King parish.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is small, in modern Romanesque style, purple-red brick with pantile roofs. The west front has three round arched openings with simple neo-Romanesque detail, paired hardwood doors to the larger central opening, and paired window openings separated by short Romanesque columns within smaller side openings. In the gable is a circular window incorporating a Star of David. Towards the east end, there is a projecting transept/sacristy on the south side, with a gabled bellcote at the junction with the nave, housing one bell, and a side entrance at the base.

The main entrance leads into a narthex area, divided from the church by three round brick arches, with solid doors to the central opening and the side ones glazed in. The main space of the nave has exposed brick walls up to the height of the springing of the arches of the lower windows, and plastered walls above this point. There is a large round-headed sanctuary arch, with smaller arches to left and right to side chapels. The sanctuary has good oak furnishings including panelling, reredos and altar.

There is a fine wooden octagonal font with columnar supports in the south transept area. Non-baptised adults are received into the Church through baptism during the Easter Vigil, and baptised non-Catholics are confirmed during the Vigil.

Parish life

The parish runs a food bank and food parcel provision, a school uniform project, and helps evicted families furnish and establish new homes. The parish supports the St Monica's project, a refuge for vulnerable single asylum-seeking women. The parish works closely with parents and its parish Catholic primary schools, which have established 'Mini Vinnie' groups among the children. The local parish SVP conference is a small group that meets monthly to check on visits and plan future work.

During Covid, SVP members were active in food provision and house-to-house visits. The parish regularly supports St Vincent's Centre with provisions, and the Centre helps with furniture and household goods. The SVP conference in Wetherby gave funds to the parish conference.

The parish uses the Diocese of Leeds 'Heart Speaks to Heart' materials to prepare children for First Holy Communion. In November, the parish lists the names of loved ones and places them on the altar in special prayer for the Holy Souls. The church has modern bench seating.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Children are prepared for their First Reconciliation when they are in Year 3 or above. The parish uses the Diocese of Leeds 'Empowered by the Spirit: The Gift of Confirmation' materials to prepare children for Confirmation. On 3 December 2025, 36 children from the parish's schools and parish were confirmed at Holy Family church by the Bishop of Leeds.