Christ Cathedral (Garden Grove, California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Cathedral |
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Christ Cathedral in 2018
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| 33°47′15″N 117°53′56″W / 33.787396°N 117.898933°W | |
| Location | Garden Grove, California |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Previous denomination | Reformed Church in America (1980–2013) |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Crystal Cathedral |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder(s) | Robert H. Schuller (as Crystal Cathedral) |
| Dedicated | 1980 (as Crystal Cathedral) 2019 (as Christ Cathedral) |
| Consecrated | 1980 (as Reformed Church in America) 2019 (as Catholic Church) |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Philip Johnson John Burgee |
| Style | Modern architecture |
| Groundbreaking | 1977 |
| Completed | 1980 |
| Construction cost | $18 million |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Orange |
Christ Cathedral is a famous church building in Garden Grove, California. It used to be called the Crystal Cathedral. Since 2019, it has been the main church, or cathedral, for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.
This amazing building is made of reflective glass. It was designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee. It can hold 2,248 people inside. When it was finished in 1981, people said it was "the largest glass building in the world." The church also has one of the biggest musical instruments anywhere, called the Hazel Wright Organ.
From 1981 until 2013, the building was home to Crystal Cathedral Ministries. This was a church group from the Reformed Church in America, started in 1955 by Robert H. Schuller. Their weekly TV show, Hour of Power, was broadcast from this church. Later, the Crystal Cathedral Ministries faced money problems. They sold the building and its surrounding area to the Diocese of Orange in February 2012 for $57.5 million.
The cathedral then went through a two-year makeover to get ready for Catholic worship. It was officially opened as Christ Cathedral on July 17, 2019. It is now the main church for the Diocese of Orange.
Contents
History of Christ Cathedral
How the Church Started
Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella Schuller, started the Garden Grove Community Church in 1955. They were part of the Protestant Reformed Church in America. At first, they held church services at the Orange Drive-In Theatre in Orange, California. People would sit in their cars, and Robert Schuller would give his talk from the top of the snack stand. He also rented a smaller church nearby for those who wanted to sit inside.
As their church grew, the Schullers bought 10 acres of land in Garden Grove in 1958. They wanted a bigger church that could be used for both drive-in and sit-in services. A new church, designed by architect Richard Neutra, opened in 1961. In 1968, they added the 13-story Tower of Hope building. This tower had classrooms and offices and was topped with a large, glowing cross.
The church kept growing very fast. Soon, their current building was not big enough. So, Schuller asked Philip Johnson and John Burgee to design a much larger church. This new church would be able to seat 2,248 people.
Building the Crystal Cathedral
Construction on the Crystal Cathedral began in 1977. It was finished in 1980 and cost about $18 million. The building was 415 feet long, 215 feet wide, and 128 feet tall. It even had a beacon light on top for airplanes. The architects designed the church to be strong enough to survive a big earthquake.
The building had 10,000 rectangular glass panes. These panes looked shiny from the outside but were clear from the inside. They were attached to the building frame with a special silicone glue. This helped protect the building from earthquake damage. No actual crystal glass was used in its construction. The church also had a 52-bell carillon (a musical instrument with bells). There was also an underground chapel with a spinning crystal cross.
The Crystal Cathedral officially opened with a big party on May 14, 1980. About 3,000 guests attended. The party included music by famous composers and a performance by the opera singer Beverly Sills.
After moving into the new church in 1981, the congregation changed its name to Crystal Ministries. In 1991, a $5.5 million stainless steel prayer spire was added. The Crystal Cathedral became the new place for Robert Schuller's Hour of Power TV show. This show was watched by about 20 million people around the world every week. Many foreign priests visiting the Diocese of Orange often asked to see the Crystal Cathedral.
Financial Challenges and Sale
By early 2010, Crystal Cathedral Ministries faced big financial problems. This was due to high costs and fewer donations during tough economic times. The church owed money to many people and businesses. One board member thought they were $55 million in debt. There were also changes happening with the church's leadership.
On October 18, 2010, the church's board asked for legal help with their money problems. They said they owed $43 million, including a $36 million mortgage. Church officials tried to work out a payment plan with those they owed money to. But after several lawsuits, they had to officially file for bankruptcy. After this, they received offers to buy the Crystal Cathedral campus from a real estate group and Chapman University. Chapman University offered $59 million. They planned to use the campus for health studies and possibly a medical school.
On July 7, 2011, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange announced they were interested in buying the campus. The diocese had planned to build a new cathedral in Santa Ana, California. However, they realized it would be cheaper to fix up and use the Crystal Cathedral campus instead. Also, Garden Grove was a better location for people across the diocese. The diocese first offered $50 million, then increased it to $53.6 million. They also offered to let Crystal Cathedral Ministries rent a worship space on the campus for up to 15 years.
Sheila Colman, the new director of the ministries, accepted this offer. The ministries' board had thought about accepting Chapman's higher offer. But they wanted the property to remain a religious place. On November 17, 2011, a judge approved the sale of the Crystal Cathedral to the Diocese of Orange for $57.5 million.
Two weeks after the sale was approved, Bishop Tod Brown received approval from the Vatican to move the diocese to the campus.
Becoming Christ Cathedral
The sale of the Crystal Cathedral was completed on February 3, 2012. The diocese then moved the St. Callistus church group to the old Garden Grove church on the campus. They renamed it Christ Cathedral Parish. The campus cemetery was immediately transferred to the diocese. The diocese also quickly moved its offices into the other campus buildings. Bishop Brown said the diocese planned to update the cathedral's inside after Crystal Cathedral Ministries moved out. He wanted to keep the building's "iconic personality."
On June 9, 2012, the diocese announced the building would be renamed "Christ Cathedral." The Reverend Christopher Smith became its first leader. The name was chosen with ideas from the diocese and its members, and approved by the Vatican. In October 2012, the diocese held its first event at the cathedral. The Christ Cathedral Parish continued to hold services at the old Garden Grove church until June 2013.
Crystal Cathedral Ministries held its last service at the Crystal Cathedral on June 30, 2013. They then moved to the former St. Callistus Church. The group, which was much smaller by then, moved again in 2018 to a new place called Shepherd's Grove in Irvine, California. The St. Callistus Catholic School moved into the former Crystal Cathedral Academy building in September 2013. It changed its name to Christ Cathedral Academy. Robert Schuller passed away in 2015. His funeral service was held outside the cathedral.
Renovations and Updates
In November 2013, the Crystal Cathedral closed to the public. This was to prepare for a multi-year renovation project. The goal was to make the building suitable for Catholic worship. This included building a new sanctuary, ciborium, and altar. The renovations also aimed to keep the building's unique architectural style.
The cathedral's glass walls had always caused problems with heat, glare, and sound. To fix these issues, the glass walls were lined with angled shapes called "petals." These petals help block heat and create shade. Lights were also added to the petals to light up the building at night. This creates a beautiful "box of stars" effect that can be seen from far away.
Besides the changes for worship, the cathedral also got stronger to handle earthquakes. Its large glass doors were replaced with bronze doors. Air conditioning was also installed in the Arboretum building. The famous Hazel Wright Organ was taken apart and sent to Italy for a big, $2 million restoration.
On the campus, crape myrtle trees were planted along the path to the cathedral. These trees symbolize a journey towards holiness. To honor Robert Schuller, the biblical sculptures he had commissioned were kept. Plans were made for a special garden to display some of these sculptures. This garden would also have a wall with the names of Crystal Cathedral donors. Catholic TV channel EWTN also rented a floor in the Tower of Hope to build a studio.
Construction began in June 2017. The diocese first used $59 million from a fundraising campaign to pay for the renovations. In 2014, an unknown donor gave an extra $20 million. The total cost of the project was later set at $72 million. To save money, the diocese used local marble instead of expensive Italian marble. They also tried to keep more of the building's original structure.
Rededication and Reopening
On June 29, 2018, Bishop of Orange Kevin Vann announced a "holy year of preparation" before the cathedral's official dedication. On October 13, 2018, the new "petals" on the glass walls were blessed and lit up for the first time. The altar was installed in December 2018. It holds special items called relics. These relics represent the many different cultures in Orange County's Catholic community. They include relics from saints like Andrew Dũng-Lạc, the Canadian Martyrs, Junípero Serra, Andrew Kim Taegon, and Rafael Guízar y Valencia.
A special celebration and concert by the Pacific Symphony took place at the cathedral on July 13, 2019. On July 17, 2019, the diocese held a Mass to officially rededicate the building as Christ Cathedral. In 2021, the diocese opened the shrine of Our Lady of La Vang on the campus. This shrine has a 12-foot-tall statue of the Virgin Mary under a spiraling canopy. The St. Callistus Chapel and Crypts, located in the building's basement, were finished in October 2024. Bishop Vann dedicated them on October 14, 2024. This event marked the official completion of the Christ Cathedral renovation project.
The Hazel Wright Organ
Christ Cathedral is home to the Hazel Wright Organ, which is the fifth largest pipe organ in the world. It was built by the company Fratelli Ruffatti in Italy. The organ was designed with ideas from organists Virgil Fox and Frederick Swann. Frederick Swann was the organist at the Crystal Cathedral from 1982 to 1998.
The Hazel Wright Organ has 273 sets of pipes and five manuals (keyboards). It includes parts from a large pipe organ built in 1962 for New York's Avery Fisher Hall. It also has parts from a smaller Ruffatti organ that was in the original Garden Grove church.
In 2013, the diocese took the Hazel Wright Organ apart and sent it back to Fratelli Ruffatti for a $2 million repair and update. As part of the church's new look, the organ was also repainted white. This was so it wouldn't take attention away from the altar. It was put back in Christ Cathedral in early 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays. The final tuning of the organ was completed on February 7, 2022. A special concert to celebrate the organ's return, featuring organist Hector Olivera, was held on September 30, 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Cristo (Garden Grove) para niños
