Thursday, November 28, 2013

Catholic renovation of Crystal Cathedral to begin



— The former Crystal Cathedral will close to the public as it undergoes a transformation from a space built as a television studio as much as a sanctuary into the spiritual home for the Orange County Catholic community of more than 1.2 million people.

Beginning Sunday, the newly named Christ Cathedral will be closed for construction as crews launch a $29 million effort to restore the more than 75,000-square-foot space.

The Diocese of Orange has been working with liturgical consultants and architects to modify the church built in the vision of the Rev. Robert Schuller into one that meets the requirements of a Catholic cathedral.

"The beauty and inspiration evoked by the cathedral grounds and its architecture are only surpassed by the extraordinary communities of faith that now call this campus home," Bishop Kevin Vann said in a statement. "The cathedral will be an international center of faith and evangelization, a vessel for the love of God, a beacon of faith, a home for neighbor and traveler, and a sanctuary for the human spirit."

The bishop announced in September that two architectural firms, Johnson Fain and Rios Clementi Hale Studios, had been selected to lead the design process.

The architects said they want to create a sense of cohesion among a cluster of buildings on the campus, created by different designers with varying ideas. Their intent is to make it clear the campus is a spiritual place, welcoming to a diverse Catholic community as well as people of other faiths.

"You need to start those kind of experiences as you're pulling into the parking lot," architect Mark Rios said at the time of the announcement. "It shouldn't feel like you're at the mall. You're on a journey to a sacred cathedral."

Catholic scholars said the church has converted the temples of other faiths, and even secular spaces, into cathedrals. But in more modern times, the project stands as a rarity, as it is believed to be the first Protestant megachurch to become a Catholic cathedral, the primary church within a diocese."

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/11/27/5151126/catholic-renovation-of-crystal.html#storylink=cpy

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