Rev. Robert H. Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral Enters New Era as It Transforms Into Catholic Christ Cathedral

(PHOTO COURTESY DIOCESE OF ORANGE)
Christ Cathedral, formerly known as Crystal Cathedral. Since 2012, the Cathedral has been in possession of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.

The Crystal Cathedral was for decades a powerful symbol of a certain kind of church.

The landmark church was built by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the famed pastor who brought the drive-in church to Orange County during the beginning of the postwar suburban boom and preached an upbeat, modern vision of Christianity.

The Philip Johnson-designed structure made of steel and 10,000 panes of glass became world famous and was a forerunner to other so-called mega churches.

But more that a year after Schuller’s death, the Crystal Cathedral is undergoing a major transformation in both design and ownership.

The makeover will transform the building into Christ Cathedral as the Catholic Church takes it over.

Officials from the Diocese of Orange, the nation’s 12th largest, gathered earlier this week to preview the changes, which they plan to unveil for the public at Sunday’s celebration of the diocese’s 40th anniversary, an event expected to draw nearly 10,000 of the Catholic faithful. The diocese bought the famed building in 2011.

During the preview, people can take a virtual tour and see a sanctuary splashed in white, highlighting an altar, the bishop’s chair and baptismal font. With nearly 3,000 seats, the new space will allow for more people, with pews arranged in a radial pattern and featuring a circular shaped Blessed Sacrament Chapel, bearing a portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“The great cathedrals of Europe took generations to complete,” said Bishop Kevin Vann, who promised the creation of “a beautiful and functional Catholic interior design.”

“We do not have the time luxury of former cathedral builders. Our goal is to dedicate Christ Cathedral by 2019,” added Vann, who started his job after the purchase of the church and its 34-acre campus. A driving force behind the design, he has sought ideas from priests, lay people and experts.

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SOURCE: The Los Angeles Times
Anh Do