GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — The Diocese of Orange’s Christ Cathedral completed its transformation Monday from the Protestant megachurch to the central hub of the county’s Roman Catholics as religious leaders dedicated a new chapel and crypt space.
Diocese of Orange Bishop Kevin Vann told reporters Monday morning at an event showcasing the new St. Callistus Chapel and Crypts that he recently spoke with a colleague about the Diocese’s acquisition of the former Crystal Cathedral megachurch during federal bankruptcy proceedings.
What You Need To Know
- Auxiliary Bishop Than Thai Nguyen said, “We are excited to have this addition to the Christ Cathedral campus”
- There has been “remarkable growth” since the Diocese took possession of the campus and dedicated the refurbished cathedral in 2019
- The 11,000-square-foot chapel and crypts designed by architectural firm Johnson Fain, which also worked on Christ Cathedral, will provide more space for worshiping such as masses, weddings, funerals and other gatherings as well as a final resting place for the diocese’s bishops
- The COVID-19 pandemic slowed some of the progress on the chapel because many worried about their finances at the time, but fundraising picked up in earnest later
“We were reminiscing about our journey through the years here when I had just been named Bishop of Orange,” Vann said…