Plans for Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church began well before 1980 when, as part of the Diocese of San Diego, Bishop Leo Thomas Maher purchased property for a Grand Terrace church.

Father Michael Keane began developing a Catholic community, starting with an evening mass on Saturdays, held in the Church of Christ (which formerly stood on Mount Vernon Avenue). Father Eugene Speno became pastor of the new congregation and of the church in Highgrove. His assignment was to bond the two communities and eventually build a church on the property in Grand Terrace. Masses were transferred from the Church of Christ to Guadalupe Church while church building plans continued. Masses were later held in Terrace Hills Junior High School for a period of two years.

In 1980, master plans were complete and the construction of the new building was approved. The multipurpose church building was built to temporarily serve as a church until funds were raised for a permanent church and the original building would then become a parish hall. Our first mass was held in July of 1981. As our parish expanded the master plans were adjusted to meet the needs of the growing parish. A new parish hall was designed and built, and finally dedicated in February of 1997. To this day, the hall provides class rooms for religious education, a fellowship hall, kitchen, conference room and offices for parish administration.

Throughout the years, Christ the Redeemer has been blessed with wonderful and caring pastors:
1981-1986 Father Anthony Di Leo helped establish parish ministries of which many are still in place today. He also helped dedicate the new parish building in July 1981.

1986-1991 Father Raymond Rabatsky fostered the growth of the parish and enhanced community involvement.

1991-1997 Father Donald Webber (now Monsignor Webber) continued to nurture the growth of our parish community. The Parish multi-purpose building (office, kitchen, hall and classrooms) was dedicated by Bishop Barnes along with Monsignor Webber in February 1997.

1997-1998 Father Robert Tompkins provided renewed leadership for the newly created Knights of Columbus council.

1998-2000 Father John Hindman further united the parishioners of Christ the Redeemer.

2000 - 2010: Sister Deanna O'Neill, OSB, was appointed Pastoral Coordinator by Bishop Gerald Barnes. Under her guidance, the Pastoral Council and other parish ministries began raising funds to build the permanent parish church. The remodeled church was inaugurated in October 2009. Several supply priests served Christ the Redeemer during Sr. Deanna’s term, but none more than Fr. Soney Sebastian, SVD.

2010 - 2018: Bishop Gerald Barnes appointed Mr. Jose Luis M. Crespo as Pastoral Coordinator. He served the parish from 2010 and retired on June 30, 2018, after hosting many bible studies and growing the parish membership. Fr. Soney continued to partner with Jose to enhance the liturgies.

2018 - 2024: Fr. Anthony C. Waturuocha was appointed by Bishop Gerald Barnes as Administrator, the first full-time priest at Christ the Redeemer in 18 years. He was instrumental in helping the parish acquire and pay off a rectory close to the parish, as well as entering an agreement to share the benefits of a new solar panel installation with the Serra House.

On July 1, 2024, Bishop Alberto Rojas appointed Father Javier Gonzalez Cabrera as the Administrator of Christ the Redeemer and simultaneously the Rector of the St. Junipero Serra house of Formation next door.

The history of Christ the Redeemer would not be complete without mentioning the Serra House - a Catholic seminary established next door to Christ the Redeemer in 2005 and the Benedictine Sisters. The Benedictine Sisters served the community for several years until 2011, when they returned to Ferdinand, Indiana.