Crystal Cathedral board endorses offer from Diocese of Orange

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Dale_M said:
That will be true if the judge decides to follow the wishes of the Crystal Cathedral board. The judge was supposed to announce a decision today, but that doesn’t seem likely at this point (4:45 pm in California)
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You’re right. When I read the article I thought it was finished, but the court still needs to rule.
Aelred_Minor said:
If this does go through what is the plan for the property? Would it become the new cathedral for the diocese or something else?
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It will be the new cathedral. Rocco Palmo has more at Whispers in the Loggia: whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2011/11/in-orange-hour-of-power.html
 
congrats to the DoOC!

It really is a beautiful building - particularly with the spire. a few minor modifications, and that building will be perfectly suitable for Catholic worship.

I wonder if they’ll put in a high altar?
 
mburn16 said:
congrats to the DoOC!

It really is a beautiful building - particularly with the spire. a few minor modifications, and that building will be perfectly suitable for Catholic worship.

I wonder if they’ll put in a high altar?
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Hahahahaha. Good one. That won’t be happening there, unfortunately.
 
Marybeloved said:
Reading the article, I feel sorry for the crystal cathedral members. I wish they could have kept their church.
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It’s horribly sad. I am praying that the elder Schullers end-up entering the Church while bring many of the former Crystal Cathedral faithful with them.
 
Aeolian said:
Purchasing the Crystal Cathedral campus for $57.5 million would be wonderful for the Diocese of Orange County for a number of reasons. First, it would give the Church an extremely visible and monumental presence in OC by using the remarkable campus for the greater glory of God.

It would also be a stunning bargain. For $57.5M they would get:
the Crystal Cathedral
the Bell Spire with a full carillon of expensive bronze bells
the Tower of Hope that houses offices and a chapel
the Arboretum which was the original 1,200 seat Garden Grove Community Church
the Family Lounge and the Art Gallery (the parish halls.)
the Welcoming Center (offices and conferencing center)
and the Family Life Center (a full k-12 school.)

The Welcoming Center and the Family Life Center alone are over 200,000 square feet. In addition they would get 41 acres of fully developed OC land (worth more than $57.5 million as a vacant lot) and a ton of parking. It’s a terrific bargain.

It would serve the 1.3 million Catholics of the Diocese very well. I toured the campus 2 weeks ago and I am absolutely certain it is a good fit for the Church. Sadly I think those who denigrate the Crystal Cathedral have never set foot in it and that’s very sad. Sad because it shows just how ignorant and angry some people are. Anyone believing they can judge the campus from a snapshot or two is kidding themselves. They should also know better than to render public condemnations with such little information. Most such people are not aware the structure is a huge cruciform. They have no idea just how visible the altar would be to everyone or the stunning light that filters into the edifice. They have no idea that the pipe organ would be the largest one is ANY Catholic edifice in the entire WORLD or that the building can seat 3,000 Catholics.

One final reminder. “Gothic” architecture got its name from those who demeaned the style when it was first evolving. Fans of established Romanesque and Byzantine architecture universally looked down upon Gothic architecture. The same was true here in California where our beloved Mission Style was judged to be crude, ugly and unworthy of sacred used by many in Europe.

I will continue to pray tonight that the Diocese is successful tomorrow in obtaining the Crystal Cathedral campus.
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I grew up in the city it’s in and have been there many times. I still think it’s ugly.
 
a shame - the Crystal Cathedral would really be well suited to it…although I could see how that organ might give the Priests quite an earful.

Looking at the inside, it really appears that only a few minor modifications will be necessary. Will be interesting to see whether they move the choir or not.
 
This a momentous decision.

Thank you, SonCatcher, for keeping up with the news. I had given up for the night.

The article makes clear the pain that many of the members of that church are feeling at the eventual loss of the place where they worship. But it seems clear that it would happen whether it was three years, five years, ten or 15 years from now. 😦

I’m glad the senior Schuller, and his wife, have endorsed the diocese’s offer. That might help ease some of the recriminations.
 
This is a momentous decision. The Crystal Cathedral has been an icon of protestantism for a very long time.
 
The church and spire are beautiful - but I’ll at least concede, to those of you who favor more traditional architecture, that I’d like to introduce the “welcome center” to a few cases of TNT.
 
psr13 said:
It’s very ugly, yes. However, I highly doubt that the diocese would build a cathedral that isn’t extremely modern. If an ugly one is going to be built anyway, why not? Also, while they would not like to sell to Catholics, the church is in bankruptcy. I think the judge could force them to sell it.

All of the talk of Gothic architecture really isn’t fitting. That would be very out of place in the area. The only buildings older than the '50’s are mostly in the Spanish or what we usually call the Spanish Mission style. That would be better fitting, but it won’t happen.
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No. “California Mission” and “Spanish Revival.”

The Crystal Cathedral is a beautiful edifice. For the greater glory of God, thanks be to God!
 
Aeolian said:
No. “California Mission” and "Spanish Revival."

The Crystal Cathedral is a beautiful edifice. For the greater glory of God, thanks be to God!
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Really? I’ve lived here my entire life and have almost never heard them referred to by those terms.
 
Aeolian said:
It’s official, the court has approved the purchase of the cathedral by the Diocese of Orange County! For the greater glory of God, thanks be to God!

latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/crystal-cathedral-bankruptcy-diocese-of-orange-chapman-university.html

This is truly wonderful news!
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👍👍👍

Had posted this news before I realized you beat me to it and deleted mine :(. Even from here, all the way from Africa I’m excited too! :bounce:I’ve watched Hour of Power and Crystal Cathedral (which I always thought was beautiful) for years!

I’m sad for Crystal cathedral’s members, but at least now they can take care of their bills and still have a church in which to worship :sad_yes:.

Sad but also very exciting news for us Catholics and Orange Catholics in particular.

Peace!
 
What a blow to American Protestantism.

I do feel sorry for Schuller’s congregation and the hardships they are liable to face in finding a new parish - not to mention the loss of a viable source of income and heritage.

But at the same time, I can’t help but shout for joy that one of the great bastions of Protestant culture is now Catholic! 😃 It’s a gracious mercy.
 
So is that the intended new name for the church, then? “Christ Our Savior, Roman Catholic Cathedral”? How perfect! Certainly more fitting than “Crystal Cathedral”. “Christ the King Catholic Cathedral” would seem to me to be a better suited name to the building which, you must admit, does invoke a sense of royalty. But somehow, Christ Our Savior sounds so fitting, beautiful and perfect for it! 🙂 Just right, almost like it was meant to be.

People, that building was meant to be catholic. When they are done “catholicizing” the interior it will look like it was always made to be an important Catholic church.
 
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