SPRINGFIELD GARDENS — Father Gordon Kusi and his community at Christ the King Parish refused to let disappointment dictate the future of this so-called “basement church” that was founded in the mid-1930s.
Plans to build an “upper church” have been on the books from the start. Father Kusi set out to make that happen after becoming a pastor in 2019.
The plans received approval from then-Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and his successor,
Bishop Robert Brennan. Soon, however, the project was subsequently deemed unfeasible by the diocese due to the relatively small church community.
Father Kusi and parishioners were disappointed, but they didn’t stay that way. They resolved to renovate their existing basement church for $1.6 million, Father Kusi said.
Construction began in February. And on Nov. 22, Bishop Brennan celebrated a Mass for the rededication of Christ the King Parish and its sparkling new nave and sanctuary.
Father Kusi said renovations were also necessary to improve the space’s suitability for the Mass.
“When it comes to spirituality, you can do it anywhere, like in your room,” he said. “But when we come to liturgy, you want a presentable place.”
Still, he noted, although an upper church has been desired since the parish was founded in 1933, circumstances continue to prevent it.
“The original plan was to build the basement and build the church on top of it,” Father Kusi explained. “Then they went on to build the school in the 1950s.
“But by the time they were supposed to build the upper church, they didn’t have enough money. So they left it like that.
“Now, this is [what] everybody calls ‘the basement church.’ ”
The school closed in 1975. In 2024, Christ the King merged with St. Mary Magdalene Parish, also in Springfield Gardens.
Still, other needs persisted, Father Kusi said.
For example, previously, the space behind the altar did not accommodate the tabernacle, so it was placed in a corner of a room off the sanctuary.
“Apart from that, I saw other challenges,” Father Kusi said. “We didn’t have enough space to put the casket when we were having funerals. You had to put it at the side.”
The layout was reconfigured through the project, the pastor said. A new tabernacle from Rome is expected to arrive before Christmas, where it will take its appropriate position behind the altar.
The parish also tore out the old dingy red carpet. The tile flooring was cleaned and polished to a fine luster. In addition, the parish upgraded the sound system, improved the heating and cooling units, and installed new fans.
Parishioners raved about the work on Nov. 24, following the first daily Mass in the renovated space.
Janice Vialva wept as she recalled how Father Kusi convened a committee of parishioners to oversee the work.
“All the families feel a special bonding in this church right now,” Vialva said. “And we hope that we can fill it up.”
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Jean Philbert said she was content to pray and worship in any space, but the new renovations extend an extra portion of grace to this congregation.
“Prayer is prayer,” she said, “And when you worship, you worship God — no matter where you are. You could be in the dungeon!
“But when I walked in here, I was, like, ‘Is this our church?’ I said to Father Gordon, ‘Father, you left your mark on our parish. It is so beautiful.’ ”
Father Kusi said the new church is renewed in faith, rebuilt in love, and rededicated to its namesake, Christ the King.
“I invite parishioners to let this rekindle their faith,” their pastor said. “Because, after spending all this money to rebuild the church, we are not going to close it anytime soon.
“This is our church, and this is what we are going to give to our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.
“And so, we can be happy, in both the physical and spiritual.”
