The Crystal Cathedral *will become* a CATHOLIC Cathedral

[TevereNauta]

Dear friends,

There has been a lot of condemnation regarding the Diocese of Orange’s purchase of the Crystal Cathedral, much of it blatantly biased and ill-informed. Much condemnation was poured upon His Excellency Bishop Brown of Orange, my bishop and a man I esteem, as being ‘new age’ and even, yes, for some obscure reason, heterodox. Therefore it is to my great delight that I post a link to the Diocesan newspaper, Orange County Catholic.

As it turns out, the Crystal Cathedral WILL BECOME a Catholic Cathedral.

http://www.rcbo.org/images/stories/occ/Jan_2012/OCC_0112_page_02.pdf

Here are some quotes from the story, which I hope can appease some who were actually furious over what most view as an awesome opportunity for the Faithful to evangelize Orange County, and for the Faithful to build up the Kingdom of God.

“There’s a tremendous amount of work in terms of transfiguration in church itself, together with the other buildings…”

“From the start, the architect will have to keep in mind the principle symbolic elements that make a Roman Catholic place of worship: the altar table and the ambo…(The designer will also need to understand the symbolic potency of the cathedra, or bishop’s chair, from which a cathedral takes its name.)”

Though the building itself is very modern-looking…the artistic elements within it need not be…

“The use of beautiful tapestries, statuary, all of that is going to take a genius of an artistic coordinator, someone working closely with the architect, to make sure all of these integrate well.”

“Likewise, though the Crystal Cathedral is already filled with seats for worshippers, they are not the type of pews found in a Catholic church.Pews with kneelers will replace the existing seating.”

There is more, and it all points to the intense efforts which are underway even now to transform the Crystal Cathedral into a proper cathedral. It will not, I repeat, will not, be a Catholic-light Protestant Church as so many pundits have said. Praise God that He has seen fit to at long last give Orange County a magnificent capital for His Church!

 

[Dale_M]

Thank you for the interesting article, which updates what we have discussed here in earlier threads. Your article gives a fairly clear idea of the sort of changes to be expected.

But I am a bit curious about the statement at the conclusion. Monsignor Holquin states that he was not aware of any other Protestant church which was later converted into a Catholic church. I guess I find that surprising, but I am not aware of any instances. Does anyone here know of an example or two?

 

[LoyalViews]

The thing may be ugly as sin, but as long as they do their best to turn it into a true and proper Church, they should be commended! After all, the Cathedral will be a dwelling place of Our Lord…however appalling it may look.

 

[Richard320]

This deserves a bump.

I’m glad to read this. The Crystal Cathedral is weird inside, but outside, there’s no mistaking it for a church building.

And I’m particularly sensitive to unfounded criticisms, as I belong to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, aka The Rog Mahal, aka Taj Mahony. Many outright lies were posted about it, including one webpage that says there is no altar and no kneelers.

 

[Marie5890]

So it’s going to replace the present day Cathedral of the Holy Family for the Diocese of Orange? What will they do with the present day one?

Or is a new diocese being planned?

 

[CatholicBoy1957]

I like it. Especially because I’m a bargain hunter.

 

[Richard320]

So it’s going to replace the present day Cathedral of the Holy Family for the Diocese of Orange? What will they do with the present day one?

Or is a new diocese being planned?

Holy Family will revert back to what it was and what it looks like: a suburban parish. A very 70s-looking parish. It reminds me of the Brady Bunch for some reason.

 

[Tridentinum]

This deserves a bump.

I’m glad to read this. The Crystal Cathedral is weird inside, but outside, there’s no mistaking it for a church building.

And I’m particularly sensitive to unfounded criticisms, as I belong to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, aka The Rog Mahal, aka Taj Mahony. Many outright lies were posted about it, including one webpage that says there is no altar and no kneelers.

True, but the ‘Our Lady of the Angels’ Cathedral looks absolutely terrible. That building will forever be a reminder of the ‘Spirit of Vatican II’. They should of just repaired/extended onto the old, beautiful former Cathedral of Saint Vibiana.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Eh, well, I find it looks like a horrendous exposition center or hotel, but I do hope they do a good job with it. The way the article is written, it could go either way. But, congratulations to the diocese, I guess…

PS: I would LOVE to see EFs celebrated there, but I can’t decide if that would be iconic or uncouth. Maybe a bit of both?

 

[CDB1718]

Thank you for the interesting article, which updates what we have discussed here in earlier threads. Your article gives a fairly clear idea of the sort of changes to be expected.

But I am a bit curious about the statement at the conclusion. Monsignor Holquin states that he was not aware of any other Protestant church which was later converted into a Catholic church. I guess I find that surprising, but I am not aware of any instances. Does anyone here know of an example or two?

Our Catholic church was previously a Baptist church. They covered over the baptismal pool and added in an altar and iconostas.

You can see pictures on our church tour. stsophiaukrainian.cc/resources/picturetour/

 

[christofirst]

I’m looking forward to visiting when the transformation is complete! (sorry, critics, but I like the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels here too.)

 

[jasonjessica09]

The Cathedral of our lady of Angles is a TERRIBLE church!!! A great example of how modernism has corrupted the reverency of church architecture. The Taj Mahoney is indeed a great name for it. I think the Diocese of Orange is going this direction with a modernist cathedral. Waita go Spirit of Vatican II you did it again

 

[Filii_Dei]

Like many others, I have reservations about the architecture of the so-called Crystal “Cathedral” that is to become a new (and canonically proper) cathedral. For starters, the layout of the building is very strange. There are few perpendicular lines, and the transepts and nave (if they can be so called) terminate in an acute angle. It is also clear that the interior was designed to stack in the vertical rather than the horizontal dimension. Hardly befitting for a Catholic parish, much less a cathedral. :yukonjoe:

Nonetheless, what is done is done, and looking ahead, I remain hopeful that Bishop Brown will guide its conversion in as orthodox a manner as possible within the limits of what has been given to him. I foresee the interior will need to be extensively overhauled. Who knows? We could have a massive stained glass ceiling of Christ Pantocrator. Not all is lost.

I just hope that when the time comes for the Diocese to occupy the building, I hope whatever remaining members of Crystal Cathedral Ministries will not interfere with the decision-making process. Given their emotional attachment to the building, it is possible that some may decide to apply political pressure on whatever plans the Diocese may have for the renovation, as they did during the purchase.

Thank you for the interesting article, which updates what we have discussed here in earlier threads. Your article gives a fairly clear idea of the sort of changes to be expected.

But I am a bit curious about the statement at the conclusion. Monsignor Holquin states that he was not aware of any other Protestant church which was later converted into a Catholic church. I guess I find that surprising, but I am not aware of any instances. Does anyone here know of an example or two?

You should ask the Personal Ordinariates for a list of their parishes. Every one is a candidate.

 

[christofirst]

To Jasonjessica09: I feel like the Indian from that old TV commercial with a tear rolling down my cheek. You just trashed my church!
I’ve never actually been inside the Crystal Cathedral, and I am clearly not a scholar of church architecture, but the Holy Father did approve the purchase. Good enough for me.
I’ve read many criticisms regarding L.A.'s cathedral, and as I say, I’m not qualified to refute them (I’m sure many are valid anyway).
I read somewhere that a church builing should give one the hope of Heaven, and this is what I get whenever I’m at the Cathedral. Imagine the streets of Downtown Los Angeles: your senses are overwhelmed. The noise, the commotion, the blur of visual stimuli; its all too much! Now enter the Cathedral: a peaceful, magnificent, open space. It is rock solid, conveying a sense of permanence. My idea of Heaven! (and I have no trouble finding the Adoration Chapel. Its the first place I go when I’m there.)

 

[Dale_M]

It is also clear that the interior was designed to stack in the vertical rather than the horizontal dimension. Hardly befitting for a Catholic parish, much less a cathedral.

Wouldn’t the same be true of the gothic churches which seem to be preferred by those who object to the architecture of the “Crystal Cathedral”?

I just hope that when the time comes for the Diocese to occupy the building, I hope whatever remaining members of Crystal Cathedral Ministries will not interfere with the decision-making process. Given their emotional attachment to the building, it is possible that some may decide to apply political pressure on whatever plans the Diocese may have for the renovation, as they did during the purchase.

Hm?

What political pressure occurred during the bidding or purchase process?

 

[Filii_Dei]

Wouldn’t the same be true of the gothic churches which seem to be preferred by those who object to the architecture of the “Crystal Cathedral”?

Operative word being stack. I was referring to the fact that the seats are tiered in levels, not strictly the fact that it was built in the vertical dimension. As you say, that would have been rather unseeming. Gothic churches have an even great height-to-width ratio than the Crystal Cathedral, anyway.

What political pressure occurred during the bidding or purchase process?

They were praying for the sale to be stopped and some members of the church were lobbying for the church to cancel the sale. I understand their frustration though. It’s natural that they would object to the divestment of something they personally treasure.

ocregister.com/articles/church-327961-coleman-cathedral.html

 

[puzzleannie]

But I am a bit curious about the statement at the conclusion. Monsignor Holquin states that he was not aware of any other Protestant church which was later converted into a Catholic church. I guess I find that surprising, but I am not aware of any instances. Does anyone here know of an example or two?

the Syro-Malabar rite church of the Divine Mercy in our town has purchased and converted a Presbyterian church and is rehabing the building. They had been unable to attract a permanent pastor for some time so put the church up for sale, which also has a classroom building and small hall attached. The interior is conventional and easily adaptable.

 

[puzzleannie]

I just hope that when the time comes for the Diocese to occupy the building, I hope whatever remaining members of Crystal Cathedral Ministries will not interfere with the decision-making process. Given their emotional attachment to the building,

my Methodist grandmother is rolling over in her grave. Of all other Churches she hated Catholic the most, never forgave my mother for converting and marrying a Catholic, and contributed heavily to the ministry and building of this edifice and its ministries her entire life.

 

[GlobalWolf]

Architecture of Catholic Churches varies widely enough for the Crystal Cathedral to fit comfortably on the bizarre periphery. You have everything from the (beautiful) traditional pattern in the shape of a crucifix, which lent itself to all kinds of interesting and stylistic interpretations, to the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral (which, for the record, I find nice in a “cubist painting” sort of way). The Catholic Cathedral of Brazilia is, I think, at least on the same level as the Crystal Cathedral in terms of unusual-ness, and the Cathedral of Rio De Janiero has an appearance that frankly makes it look like an '80s airport terminal.

In short, Churches are like other buildings in that their architecture is normally kind of “take it or leave it”. I don’t mind the Crystal Cathedral that much, at least from the outside, although I think it’s going to be awkward for people to walk to the altar to take communion if it retains its current seating arrangements (it has sideways balcony seating), and the scaffolding on the inside is frankly offensive to the eyeballs.

 

[TevereNauta]

True enough about the variety of Cathredrae Wolf. However, as the posted story points out absolutely clearly:

“Likewise, though the Crystal Cathedral is already filled with seats for worshippers, they are not the type of pews found in a Catholic church. Pews with kneelers will replace the existing seating.”

From this we may deduce that the seating ‘as is’ is not conducive to Catholic Liturgy, and therefore will be changed.

I’m also fascinated that people continue to use the opportunity of a great event for the Church—like the purchase of the Crystal Cathedral for the literally thriving Diocese of Orange—to make unfounded attacks against Our Lady of the Angels and against the “Spirit of Vatican II”. Huh? Our Lady of the Angels is a holy and awe inspiring cathedral, if someone says they don’t like the aesthetics fine, but you have no right to call it ‘non-Catholic’ because of the architecture. Then again I remember, oh yah, this is the internet, not the real world.

In the real world our diocese is absolutely pumped, my dear friends, and this goes a long way to pointing out the ascendancy of the Church in Orange County, the 9th largest diocese in the U.S… Also I think it helps us get out from under the umbra of the LA Archdiocese, after all, we have a unique voice to add to the Church. Ultimately the purchase of the Crystal Cathedral and its subsequent transfiguration (PLEASE READ THE STORY people before assuming things) is a remarkable, indeed, providential event.

Also, Crystal Cathedral Ministries will not have ‘(name removed by moderator)ut’ as to the transfiguration as Filii Dei said. Like Dale, I am wondering where this talk of political pressure comes in? Whatever you are saying Filii, I am sorry, it is just hearsay and your own personal conjecture. The fact of the matter is Crystal Cathedral Ministries sold the CC to the diocese precisely because they wanted it to remain a Christian space of worship.