Diocese to retain Crystal Cathedral exterior

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
11/20/2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Robert Schuller's great glass structure's interior will be renovated for Catholic worship

The Roman Catholic diocese that has bought Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, will renovate the building to make it suitable for Catholic services, but won't change the exterior. A federal bank bankruptcy judge ruled that the Orange diocese can buy the building for $57.5 million.

Designed by architect Philip Johnson, the 31-year-old structure of glass and steel was created by church founder Robert Schuller. The worldwide Hour of Power television program was broadcast there regularly.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Designed by architect Philip Johnson, the 31-year-old structure of glass and steel was created by church founder Robert Schuller. The worldwide Hour of Power television program was broadcast there regularly.

The building, along with the ministry fell into bankruptcy after more than four years of family and financial turmoil. The ministry is now led by Schuller's daughter Sheila Schuller Coleman.

Robert Schuller's ministry had humble beginnings. He first began in 1955 from a drive-in theater in Orange. Affiliated with the Reformed Church of America, Schuller's ministry focuses on what he believes are the positive aspects of the Christian faith.

Deliberately avoiding condemning people for sin, Schuller believes that Jesus "met needs before touting creeds." Once in relationship with God, Schuller emphasizes, someone who is sowing positive faith in his heart and actions will discover that the by-product is a reduction of sin. He is known to say, "Sin is a condition before it is an action."

Known by many as the father of the "dreamer" movement (a new surge of inspiring preaching that increased in popularity in the last decade), Schuller encourages Christians (and non-Christians) to achieve great things through God and to believe in their dreams. He wrote, "If you can dream it, you can do it!"

Schuller did not attend the bankruptcy hearing. A church board member voted in favor of selling it to the diocese.

The 85-year-old Schuller, in a letter to the church said he didn't entertain the thought that Chapman University, which had also tried to buy the 40-acre facility, might someday use the cathedral for nonreligious purposes.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Schuller's daughter said in a statement that the decision to select the Catholic Church "breaks her heart." But she said she is hopeful that "there is still plenty of time for God to do His miracle."

The Crystal Cathedral ministry will be allowed to lease back the core building and church for three years when it will relocate, likely to a nearby Catholic church, according to the agreements of the sale.

"The cathedral's administration and the board have really stripped us of our ministry," congregant Bob Canfield said. "In the end, it was all about the money. The congregants have lost their ministry."

� 2011, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Robert Schuller, Crystal Cathedral, ministry, Hour of Power

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1 - 7 of 7 Comments

Former Cathedral Worker
1 year ago
It is a little known fact that a statue of the Virgin Mary has been on the Cathedral grounds for decades. Schuller put it there for practicing Catholics.
vance
1 year ago
It's good that the Catholic aquired the Crystal Cathedral but it does sadden me to see the fall of a once vibrant Christian Church. I am a fan of Dr Schuller. I used to watch the Hour of Power on Sunday's before I could get EWTN. I still enjoyed watching Schuller. He had a great dynamic world-wide charity organization that did great works bringing relief to areas of the world that was hit by major catastrophies. He hosted many famous people and some Catholic Bishops. Schuller was welcomed by Pope John-Paul II. It is sad to see a good man fail. Perhaps he and his followers will come home to the Mother Church. My prayers go out to Dr. Schuller.
jagray
1 year ago
Someone had to buy it, right? I am leaving it to those that purchased the Crystal Cathedral to know what the plan is for redoing it to meet the Catholic need. There are more than 1 million Catholics in that area. Perhaps they will be able to fill the new Cathedral every Sunday. Let us hope that is what will happen and give glory to God. That is what we are about as Catholic Christians.
Deanne Brown
1 year ago
A Catholic Church is the best use that could be made of this building. I've always felt that it should have been one. The Catholc Church has the fullness of The Truth and The Crystal Cathedral is a beautiful place to teach the Truth. A place called a Cathedral should always be Catholic.
JoAnn
1 year ago
Lillian Price: "The poor will always be with you." The Catholic Church is the largest advocate for the poor than any other denomination on the planet. It is not like the money was for "building" a church, the facility was already there. Should it have been wasted or torn down? If you are a Catholic, then it seems to me that you would be elated the Catholic Church has another location to preach the "TRUTH" of the gospel. The Catholic Church welcomes the congregation that worshiped there with open arms. I am sorry that Rev. Schuller's daughter is so unhappy. It is just another display of the bias against the Catholic Church that it has endured since Jesus instituted her 2000 years ago. God bless.
Sheila
1 year ago
Catholics can celebrate Mass with the Holy Eucharist there. Perhaps the Schuller's will in the end be pleased.
Lillian Price
1 year ago
I think God would be more pleased if we spent this money on the poor rather than buildings.

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