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Thursday, July 18, 2019

I WONDER IF FORMER CONGREGANTS AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHULLER FAMILY ATTENDED THE DEDICATION OF THE FORMER CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL, NOW CHRIST CATHEDRAL?

Several years ago but shortly after the Catholic Diocese of Orange acquired the the Crystal Cathedral and any work began on it, a friend and I visited the place. As you know I have always been intrigued by the building. When we went it, it still had the Schuller look to it. I was struck by the fact that it was smaller looking in person than on TV where Schuller must have employed camera lenses to make it look bigger on TV.

But the property, which is expansive, has many other useful, functional buildings. There is also a cemetery on the property next to the Cathedral. I wonder how many Protestants asked to have loved ones disinterred and moved elsewhere?

The property also had many huge outdoor bronze statues with what I would call a "Protestant" look. I wonder if these are still in place? I do know a huge statue of Our Lady has been erected outside.

I wonder, too, if any former members of the congregation and members of the Schuller family attended, like his son with whom he had a falling out?

Anyone know the answers to these and other pressing questions????

This photo was computer generated, the others taken yesterday are really the Christ Cathedral:








23 comments:

rcg said...

I am not keen on the choir placement. Other than that I admit my views are personal taste and it looks like it belongs in California. It might make a great aquarium some day.

Anonymous said...

But the altar looks big enough!!!

Fr. Michael J. Kavanaugh said...

I was surprised that it looked so small, compared to what I remembered from when I had seen broadcasts of the Hour of Power. The placement of the altar does reduce the "main aisle" length by about half, it seems to me.

I would have used a darker shade of flooring for the raised area around the altar. This would have helped set off that space visually and would, I think, have "warmed up" the overall appearance. This could still be done with a slate blue Persian style carpet in front of the altar.

The four candlesticks are a little large and imposing for my tastes.

And those chalices are positively frightening in their size! A priest friend built a new 900 seat church in a nearby diocese some years ago and bought a very large chalice in order that it could more easily be seen. When it arrived he and his parish staff were taken aback by just HOW big it was in person. I think they exchanged it for something more appropriate.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

It looks icy cold! Could be renamed the ice Cathedral! The Schuller look was warmer with wood case pipe organ and more earth tones.

Carol H. said...

What a nice surprise! My opinion is the same as both Fr. Kavanaugh and Fr. McDonald! Wonders never cease!

Does the monstrance rise up out of the altar? There is a dark box thing under there. Or is that the tabernacle?

Carol H. said...

BTW, the OL Guadalupe mosaic is stunning!

Anonymous said...

The "dark box thing" is the reliquary.

Marc said...

And just have a look at all those young people in the photos. This building clearly appeals to them!

JDJ said...

Totally off context, but hoping for John Nolan to respond here:
I just watched EWTN “The World Over” where Raymond Arroyo interviewed Charles Cole, Choir Director of the London Oratory Schola Cantorum Boy’s Choir. He played a short segment of their “O Quam Gloriosum”...absolutely sublime!
I can’t even imagine how it must be to hear them live. What I would give to hear them. Are there DVDs available? I’ve just goggled , but haven’t yet found anything.

Paul810 said...

I wish my Archdiocese (Detroit) could get a similar deal as Orange did. Here, in the suburb of Bloomfield, there is a protestant church named Kirk in the Hills that architecturally looks like one the most Catholic buildings in the suburban areas of the Archdiocese, where all the Catholic parishes were built post-Vatican II and look either like generic multi-purpose buildings or concrete circus tents. I wish our Archdiocese and our Archbishop could purchase Kirk in the Hills and turn it into a Catholic parish. If anyone is inclined, say a quick prayer for this.
http://www.kirkinthehills.org/about-us/architecture

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

In terms of the size of the nave, I think it is truncated from what Schuller had. As I recall, we walked into the church and it was directly into the nave, no narthex. I think the new design has a huge narthex that eats into the seating space.

Richard M. Sawicki said...

Paul810:

I'll be happy to offer prayers for that. (See my comment a few days ago regarding other protestant churches I'd love to see get "Catholicized"). ;-)

BTW, it's just my two cents, but I love the substantial altar candles. I just wish there were SIX (like in the computer-generated version) instead of four.

Gaudete in Domino Semper!

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

I like the candles too, but I don't like their placement--this is a Rambusch concoction going back to the 1970's! The four pillar approach acts like a cordoning off of the altar itself. I would have preferred six perhaps slightly behind the altar in the traditional way and the bishop's throne not directly behind the altar by more to the side as the ambo is. Sadly no one asked me for my expertise on these liturgical mistakes.

I find it odd too, that the Easter Candle is by the ambo and not in the baptistry!

Anonymous said...

Why is the main celebrant and some of the con-celebrants in white vestments? And then other con-celebrants in red vestments?

Anonymous said...

JDJ: Did you check Amazon.com for CDs of the London Oratory Schola Cantorum Boy’s Choir? No? You should. They have several.

Anonymous said...

When a diocesan bishop celebrates, aren't there supposed to be seven candles? GIRM #117.

Православный физик said...

I tried to go the other day, the doors were locked ...My words "they could have done better"

JDJ said...

Yes, I know there is a CD out—I was hoping for a DVD to watch the Boys Schola Cantorum perform. Thx.

Ron (visitor) said...

Where is the tabernacle?
Is it just me or does the Crucifix look like an upside down one, with the horizontal beam lower to the bottom of the vertical?

John Nolan said...

Why is there a deacon with an Ambrosian thurible way up in the 'gods'? I'm surprised he didn't set off the fire alarms.

Richard M. Sawicki said...

Fr. McDonald:

I appreciate the fact that you cite Rambusch as a primary influence in this design. That particular multi-generational firm has influenced so much, so far and wide.

BTW, Viggo Rambusch, the current novagenarian patriarch of the clan, is a fellow parishioner of mine. :-O

Gaudete in Domino Semper!

Православный физик said...

Ron, there's a blessed Sacrament chapel, somewhere not near the main sanctuary.

Charles G said...

I disagree with the opinion that the older version is better. I think the blocky organ pipe ranks look like transformers. The new look has cleaner lines in my humble opinion.