The following comes from an Orange County Catholic article:
At 55 years old and counting, the Garden Grove parish formerly known as St. Callistus is experiencing a rebirth.
The parish, founded in 1961 with its first Mass celebrated in a roller rink, has been transformed into Christ Cathedral Parish.
As the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange — the bishop’s Church — Christ Cathedral Parish is host to major diocesan and Church gatherings, and will be where ordinations to the priesthood and diaconate are celebrated.
The Rite of Election for all those in the diocese preparing for initiation into the Church also will be held at Christ Cathedral Parish, as well as special Masses such as the Chrism Mass and the Red Mass, the annual Mass for Catholic judges, attorneys, law school professors, students, and government officials.
That’s quite a change for longtime St. Callistus parishioners.
But most view the transformation as an opportunity to further strengthen one of Orange County’s most diverse parishes, which offers 12 weekend Masses in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, with an average attendance of 10,000 across all services. In addition, the Chinese Catholic Association rents space to hold a Mass in Chinese.
“The transformation of St. Callistus to Christ Cathedral Parish has been exciting, renewing and challenging — like a new beginning,” says Mary Lynn Vargas, co-chair of the Christ Cathedral Community Outreach Ministry and a parishioner of St. Callistus/Christ Cathedral Parish for 37 years.
Such a dramatic change for a parish — whose original members still are called “holy rollers,” a reference to the roller rink — hasn’t been without its challenges, of course. But that’s natural, says Fr. Christopher Smith, rector of the Christ Cathedral.
“This parish not only changed its identity, but literally moved,” Father Christopher says. “And the change is more than geographic. The identity of a cathedral parish is distinct…It takes time for people to not only accept that, but to understand it and take it on.”
12 weekend masses and not one in the Official language of The Church: Latin, amazing.
Janek, you ask a good question. Why is there no TLM? I don’t know the answer because I don’t attend that parish. But, you might as the parishioners. Why do they not insist on a Latin Mass at a convenient time each Sunday? They might not know about that form of the Mass, they might want Mass in the vernacular, They might, oh I don’t know what. But, just ask them why. I can’t think of a reason other than my own preferences, but then, I digress ….
You know, it’s really impressive to have a parish where 10,000 people go to mass on a Sunday. So much for the idea that the Church is dead, and thank God it’s not!
Both “Janek” and “Your Fellow Catholic” are correct. Time to take the 10,000 and show them the way to Catholic Tradition and what the Church is really about (hint: it is not about exalting Chinese culture with a Catholic wrapping; the people going there are not to attend a picnic of their own choosing, they should be there to accept the gift of Christ, as offered by His Church).
By your implication the Church is not really about parish life, the Mass, worship of Jesus, etc. What a sad commentary on your own disposition.
Am I missing something or is the article totally unclear? Is St Callistus space the temporary home of the Cathedral Parish while construction occurs at the new Cathedral? Or is the Church property being rented to a group connected with the former owner of the Catheddral.
Finally, since the Diocese owns the St Callistus space, can’t the Diocese in effect say ‘squeeze in a little; some relatives will be here [at ST Cs] for a while as work is done on their house”
The St. Callistus parish, which as the article indicates has been around a long time, will eventually be moving to Christ Cathedral after the remodel is done and St. Callistus (the church building) will be handed over to the old Crystal Cathedral congregation. The two congregations are trading spaces.
Every Cathedral is the church of a parish. So, while the rector may “manage” the Cathedral and its events, the Pastor “manages” the parish.
Thanks for clarification.
St Callistus Parish original location and building (pictured above) on 12921 Lewis in Garden Grove closed in 2013—the last Mass was June 30th, 2013—and Crystal Ministries, the former Crystal Cathedral organization eventually took over:
https://foursquare.com/v/st-callistus-catholic-church/4c27c4f3ed0ac9b69b415faa
The new St Callistus parish offices have been relocated to Chapman Ave for some time, near the Christ Cathedral. (13280 Chapman Ave)
I never liked these churches designed under the aegis of Bp Tod Brown and his friend, [Fr.] Richard Vosko, designer-consultant. This church pictured above was built/finished in 1999, and it is a glorified aircraft-hanger or warehouse with decorations:
https://www.linandjirsablog.com/associates/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/06-st-callistus-catholic-church-wedding-photographer.jpg
This is the site from Thorpe Construction, the original contractor that built St Callistus:
https://www.thorpeconstruction.com/ClientProjects/detailStCallistus.asp
I notice in these buildings there often is no “rose-window” or oculus to lead the eyes up [to God], as in most classic Catholic Church architecture:
https://www…
https://www.our-lady-of-sorrows-santa-barbara.com/
This Santa Barbara church in the Romanesque style, is a favorite.
No: in the New Church designs, we get a blank wall (and we are fortunate to have a crucifix, I suppose). Everything is supposed to be focused on the “presider” and his all-important words.