The following is an announcement which appeared on the diocese of Orange website this week.
Now is your chance to tour the renowned Crystal Cathedral designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee as well as other architectural treasures by Richard Neutra and Richard Meier. The campus has been purchased from the Crystal Cathedral Ministries by our diocese. Crystal Cathedral Ministries has told us that they will be leaving the campus June 2013. As they plan to relocate, we will make plans to renovate the site. Since this exciting announcement, there has been much interest on the part of Catholics in seeing the campus. Here’s how to plan a visit:
1. GROUP TOURS: Parishes and groups are strongly encouraged to arrange a scheduled tour. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings have been set aside for this purpose but other times are possible with a week’s advanced notice. To arrange tours call Trudy at 949‐375‐5763 or email tours.specialevents@gmail.com. Keep in mind that the diocese of Orange has leased almost all of the property to Crystal Cathedral Ministries and we are obligated and committed to being respectful owners. Thus, all group tours will be scheduled around the CCM’s schedule and with the CCM’s permission. We respectfully request that groups do not arrive unscheduled and in no event should any group or individual wander through the buildings unescorted or without prior authorization.
2. INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES: The Crystal Cathedral has volunteer tour guides who are knowledgeable about the buildings and are usually available for individual visits to the Campus. Tours are scheduled from 9 AM till 2:30 PM Monday through Saturday. No prior reservations are needed. Please check the Crystal Cathedral Ministries webpage www.crystalcathedral.org/events_news/index.php for planned events that may affect your access. We again urge that you tour with a guide and in no event should you wander through the buildings unescorted.
3. SPECIAL EVENTS: With the approval of Crystal Cathedral Ministries, special events can be held on the campus for a fee. For more detailed information, contact Tracy Bejotte (tracy.bejotte@davispartners.com.)
To see the diocese website announcement, click here.
If you are Catholic go visit one of the 26 California Missions. They are beautiful.
There are 21 Alta California Missions…
Is it me but why does it look ugly. I don’t know, maybe I am finally getting older but I sure don’t like the way it looks. (and I grew up in the NO mass with many modern churches) I’m concerned that it will lose reverence for the Mass, that people will disrespect our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. In my opinion, it is not a place I feel inspired to pray or be lead into the heavens. How is my heart and soul to reach heaven with such a modern building as this? I prefer not to visit, I’ll stick to the humble buildings in our older and real Cathedrals. I don’t want to offend anyone who see’s nothing wrong with this building, but for me, it is not a parish I would choose to worship and attend Mass. Not unless they offered the Latin Mass or a more reverent and holy NO mass there. I just don’t see it happening there, I hope they don’t have any clown masses or dancing there during Mass, I am just concerned.
It’s you…
Anyone using the slur “NO mass” is clearing showing their bigotry.
Matthew are you getting cranky again? Sounds like it.
I am looking forward to the day that the Mass is celebrated inside of the beautiful Christ Cathedral, a wonderful new CATHOLIC cathedral. I hope to attend the first Easter Vigil Mass inside of that beautiful edifice. I pray that the Orange Diocese does a nice job of remodeling the interior of the cathedral without spending too much money. It’s a very special building that will truly become the spiritual center of Orange County, CA.
It’s reassuring to hear the nutters denigrate this structure. Not everything can be Gothic, thanks be to God. Given their lack of taste and architectural knowledge, their carping reinforces the fact that this Philip Johnson creation is indeed beautiful. It will be a gorgeous CATHOLIC cathedral indeed! Long live Christ Cathedral!
MATTHEW, if i lived down south i would also love to attend the easter vigil mass there, my favorite liturgy of the year!
i’ve always wanted to0 see the crystal cathedral but never got around to it.
Why did the Diocese agree to purchase and wait over a year to take possession of their property? If one has a special event – who pockets the fee? Why would a Catholic have a special event there at this point while it is still the icon of heresy?
I foresee several years – maybe 2015 – before they get out. How pompous. They sell the campus and then “inform the Diocese they will vacate June 2013”
Have fun with that eviction.
Part of the purchase agreement was to lease the campus to the Crystal Cathedral Ministries (CCM) for up to three years at $100K/month. The Diocese of Orange obviously did that in the hopes of having their proposal chosen which it was.
The campus is fully leased to CCM. If a “special event” takes place in the meantime, one would obviously pay the leaseholder — CCM.
CCM has already announced it will be moving in June of 2013 to St. Calistus parish located right down the street. I think Christmas 2013 would be a great first Mass. Worst case, Easter of 2014. Nothing “pompus” about that.
Saw it on T.V. many years ago and at that time, it was impressive, seeing how it was used for man, but it is just too ugly to be used for God. I suppose it could be worse, such as the hideous thing down there in L.A.. +JMJ+
Let’s hope and pray that when they “renovate” the place, it will LOOK and FEEL like a CATHOLIC Cathedral!!! Until then I’ll have to postpone my tour date.
Just how is a “CATHOLIC Cathedral” supposed to “LOOK” and “FEEL”?
Christ Cathedral is an award-winning structure. It’s going to make a beautiful Catholic cathedral — if they don’t mess-up the remodeling.
“IF” they don’t mess-up the remodeling. That’s the “remains to be seen” part needing our ardent prayers!
I fully agree. The purchasing process was definitely inspired. So was the renaming. Let’s pray the remodel will be as well.
Sue,
RIGHT ON, I TOO WILL WAIT, AND I PROBABLY WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO STAND TO SEE IT ONCE. ACTUALLY THE ROGMAHAL IS MORE FITTING FOR A CATHEDRAL. I SAID MORE NOT IS!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Be careful Sue, Matthew will call you a bigot!
I was there many years ago. It appropriately is not far at all from Disney Land. It is quite a “splashy” place but in my opinion certainly not a Roman Catholic Cathedral. The statues Christ, et. al, walking on the waters is too much for Los Angeles Style religion.
Why won’t it be a “Roman Catholic Cathedral”? Because it’s not Gothic? LOL!!!
I am taking my parents on this tour on Tuesday. Come & join us. Trudy Mazzarella will be leading the tour & from our conversation over the phone, I can tell that she is the perfect person for leading this tour! Friendly, funny, informative, to the point. Turns out that my dad & I + her son all went to Notre Dame University. I used to go to the Cathedral way back when it was protestant (as I had become, thanks to Notre “Shame”). It will be interesting to see the changes that are on the horizon for this place! We’re very much looking forward to this on Tuesday July 31st 10:30am.
given the size of the new CHRIST CATHEDRAL, i hope they will come up with a large and beautiful eucharistic shrine with tabernacle, even as they did at the new st. mary’s czthedral in san franicsoc.
it’s huge, impossible to miss, lovely, nd a great place for people to come and pray beforethe BLESSED SACRAMENT.
i can already picture a similar choice being made down south…
Let us all pray that this building will house Our Lord in majesty and reverence when they are done renovating. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will be choosing and guiding the designer and the OK-ers for this project. Prayers needed, that the Lady of this house will be overseeing EVERYTHING…..please Blessed Mother, don’t let them mess it up. I know we can count on you.
And, I ask the question as well. What does a Catholic Cathedral look like? I have visited cathedrals in many cities in this country and throughout Europe, but I can’t tell you what makes for a Catholic Cathedral. Is it gothic design? No, because too many aren’t gothic. Is it stone walls? No, because too many aren’t made of stone. Is it because it has a middle aisle? No, because many doh’t. A cathedral is a building dedicated to God that has an altar as the center piece, a tabernacle in one of the permited locations and the cathedra, from which the Bishop presides and teaches. It is the cathedra that makes it a cathedral. Our generation doesn’t build gothic buildings any more. They stopped with St. John the Divine.
Bob One wrote: “I have visited cathedrals in many cities in this country and throughout Europe, but I can’t tell you what makes for a Catholic Cathedral.” Bob One, I commend you! It takes a very big man to publicly admit that he doesn’t know what he is talking about.
Anyone know if they planned on keeping that statue of the Robo-Baby-Jesus?! Google it! That thing gives me the creeps! Trust me when I say it’s not a proper representation of our Lord as a child. It would fit right in over at that TBN. monstrosity down the freeway from the GreenHouse! Oh and anyone wonder what will happen when the nightly 15 minute fireworks show goes off at Disneyland just 3 miles from the Cathedral? I was in East Hunington Beach at my friend’s house when all of a sudden there were all these loud KABOOMS; I asked what it was, she told me it was just Disneyland! I can see the fireworks from the second floor of my home, and I live 17miles away at the beach! Holy Hour will not best be held in the evening I guess!
Lisa C,
You bring up such a respectful point but sadly when a diocese already goes out of it’s way to hide the Tabernacles, they pretty much don’t care about Jesus’s flock being distracted by loud fireworks. Especially while the lambs are also being distracted by having to search throughout entire churches to try and find Our Lord. When a diocese seems hellbent on hiding the LIGHT OF THE WORLD, whats a few more distractions from Disneyland. Party on!
Its truly amazing to read Catholics’ uncharitable comments and criticisms of opinions of those who differ from theirs on things that are not binding as regards Faith and Morals…sad…I will pray for all of us. I would have thought you would be happy that this building of all, would be going to be used to glorify God as a Catholic church, to which I am a happy revert only since 2006. Kind of like how Mother Church has done through the ages, take previously pagan holidays (Winter Solstice) to celebrate the Incarnation (you know, Christmas?) etc. Guess there is no pleasing some people, but its kind of embarrassing, all this uncharitable carping! I hope y’all don’t do that when attempting to witness for Christ and our Church on the street! Again, I will pray for all of us, as I must be guilty of this sin too… like maybe right now? Not intended, just hope we can all be more loving.
Alex perhaps I can somewhat agree with you, as you see, I tried being charitable and only stated how I felt about this building, but you have the nasty posters who decide to dirty up my intent by calling me a bigot and used my own comments against me! Now who are really the real uncharitable ones here? After all liking this building or not is not going to get us to heaven but understanding that the ability to reason is also a gift from God and not everyone will welcome a protestant like building that has cost a lot of money, tons! I have concerns that it won’t be a real Catholic practicing parish, only time will tell and I have no issue with changing my mind about it, if it proves my concerns wrong.
I for one are glad that this building is going to remain in Christian Hands