Posted on 07/23/2011 6:26:05 PM PDT by iowamark
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County has made a $50 million cash offer for the 35-acre property that houses the iconic Crystal Cathedral and all its core buildings, officials said Friday...
The Catholic Church, which needs a newer, bigger sanctuary to accommodate more than 1.2 million members in Orange County, views the Crystal Cathedral as a blank canvas they can modify to suit their specific requirements...
[T]he diocese is also ready to offer Crystal Cathedral Ministries an alternative worship space at 90 percent of the fair market value for 15 years. They could also choose to buy the same property at 90 percent of the fair market value within five years if they choose to do so, Martin said.
"Our goal is to make this a smooth and peaceful transition for them while remaining sensitive to their needs," he said.
The cathedral has so far received $46 million offers with leaseback and buyback agreements from Newport Beach developer Greenlaw Partners Inc. and Chapman University. My Father's House Church International of Norco also made an announcement regarding a $50-million offer to buy the Crystal Cathedral. But no details about that offer have been released...
"It's central to the county, is at a major intersection and is freeway accessible," [Ted Busch] said. "The facility is simply world-class in terms of architectural design."
The sanctuary seats 3,000 people and its surrounding buildings could house all of the diocese's administrative staff, school and retreat center, Busch said. The diocese's biggest church, St. Columban in Garden Grove, can only seat 1,500 people.
"We have more than 1 million Catholics in Orange County and we need a facility for our liturgies – Easter, Christmas, for ordination of priests or installation of a bishop or even a place to have a funeral," he said...
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
Now it just might become a real cathedral.
come think, it does look like a new world order religion
establishment.
I hate to say I am glad my mom-in-law is dead, but I’m glad she is not around to see this.
Bought by cath-o-leeks? That would just be TOO much!
RIP, Helen, I love you and I’m sorry to see what has happened to your beloved Crystal Cathedral.
I think it’s terrific that it stays Christian. Can you imagine the uproar if it became a Mosque?
Take the money and run.
People have different tastes. I’m not saying that all architecture is aesthetically equal, but sometimes you’re going to find a lot of people who really like a building that the most expert consider a monstrosity.
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