Okay, this is not a Catholic church. However, in the
spirit of ecumenism, The Catholic Traveller would like to suggest that the
Crystal Cathedral, with its glass architecture, meditation chapels and large
collection of artwork and sculpture, is a spiritually uplifting oasis
amidst the urban sprawl of Orange County.
Dr. Robert H. Schuller and his wife and organist Arvella came to
Garden Grove, California in 1955 from Chicago. With $500 and a
deep faith in God, they began holding Sunday services at the Orange
Drive-in Theater, preaching from the roof of the snack bar.
The Schullers touched thousands of lives and the
congregation grew. Related ministries sprang up to serve
particular needs and eventually the stunning Crystal Cathedral was
built. The glass and steel construction contains more than 10,000 tempered
glass windows. Two more 90 foot tall doors wash the congregation in
morning sunlight and fresh air. A 52 bell carillon summons the
faithful to worship and one of the largest pipe organs in the world accompanies
up to 1000 musicians for services. The sanctuary is granite and Spanish
marble and the 17 foot tall cross is antiqued with 18 karat gold
leaf.
,
Forty acres of manicured gardens include walkways paved with memorial stones which are etched with the
favorite Bible verse of the donor. Throughout the gardens are placed
seventeen life size bronze and marble sculptures of Bible scenes. Most
impressive is a life size Jesus walking on the water of one of the pools.
Fountains and streams trickle thier soft music everywhere.
A Visitor's Center offers tours of the facilities Monday
through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is a
women's lounge, many lavishly decorated lobbies, a food court, gift store and a
theater. An elementary school, middle and high school offer families an
alternative to public education. Memorial Gardens house a traditional
cemetary, mausoleum for above ground burial or urn placement, family burial
gardens and even custom built private family burial
rooms.
Numerous chapels provide ample space for quiet meditation.
An entire room is dedicated to the Biblical paintings of one Chinese
convert. One of the chapels hosts a holographic image of Jesus with his
hands extended and face upturned to His Heavenly Father in prayer.
Arguably the most famous of Christmas and Easter pageants
are performed by volunteer actors at the Crystal Cathedral during their
appropriate seasons. "The Glory of Easter" and "The Glory of Christmas"
are renowned for their costuming, use of live animals and state of the art
special effects, all within the glass structure. Imagine lightning dancing
and thunder seemingly crashing all around you inside church!
From the roof of a snack shack, to a glittering oasis, The
Crystal Cathedral is a peaceful respite from the push and shove
of Southern California, bringing together the beauty of God's and
man's creations to bring closer together man and
God.
To plan your pilgrimage and for further information:
Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral - Los
Angeles, California
I first went to Our Lady of the
Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles, California determined to validate my opinion
that this was yet another flagrant squandering of funds. Why didn't the Diocese
of Los Angeles just restore the beautiful, historic St. Vibiana's? I found
out that the cost to do so was so prohibitive due to the lack of a foundation
and necessary earthquake retrofitting as to be unrealisitic. The city of Los
Angeles had condemned St. Vibiana's in 1995 due to damage sustained in several
earthquakes but primarily in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Historic
preservationists went to court to prevent the diocese from tearing down the
cathedral to build a new one on the same site. Sadly, now the cathedral
buildings are being demolished bit by bit to put in new buildings, currently a
library. But in the ever amazing way in which our heavenly father brings about a
greater good from a bad situation, Our Lady of the Angels has risen; stunning,
beautiful and very capable of evangelizing the densely populated Los Angeles
area.
cafe
mission
bells gateway
pool and water
wall
The complex is a huge 5-1/2 acres. A
multi-level parking garage accomodates 600 with parking
validation available after mass. The cafe serves sandwiches, salads, snacks
and of course - this is L.A. - Starbucks coffee. The gift shop offers a
delightful selection of items for every budget and occasion. Here you can find
an olive wood Stations of the Cross Rosary imported from Italy with all 15
Stations of the Cross - includes the Resurrection - a unique and special
prayer assist. I bought one a while back and have made frequent use of
it. All profits from the gift shop go to various charitable outreach
programs housed in the Cathedral, including:
Cathedral Outreach Center - transportation,
food, clothing, job assisstance for at-risk youths and the
needy.
Cathedral Mobile Clinic - providing medical
services to the needy.
Cathedral Optical Program - providing
prescription eyeglasses to skid row residents.
Housing Assistance - rent assistance and
housing referrals for the needy.
Adopt-a-Family - Christmas gifts of food,
clothing, school supplies and presents to low-income families.
main
entry
detail of entry door Our Lady of the
Angels chapel
In the entry courtyard, underneath the 37 mission bells which
symbolize California's mission history, is the Gateway Pool and Water
Wall. An information booth offers self tour booklets; guided tours
are available for groups by reservation only. Unreserved walk-in
tours start at the Water Wall Monday through Friday at 1p.m.
Our Lady of the Angels watches over the massive bronze entry
doors each weighing in at 25,000 pounds and engraved with Marian images and
symbols from many cultures. The image over the doors is designed to catch
the sun and glow with a heavenly light to welcome worshippers. There are many
side entrances to the main church along the corridor between the 10 side
chapels, each of which features a different devotional theme. There
is, of course, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, the Blessed Sacrament
Chapel, the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe with a 17th century statue of Our
Lady of Guadalupe and a relic of St. Juan Diego's tilma, a gift from the
Archbishop of Mexico. A chapel is devoted especially to victims of sexual abuse,
with pictures of victims, by victims, and a book to write special intentions
in. Another chapel displays the Stations of the Cross.
Victims of Sexual Abuse chapel Our Lady of
Guadalupe - Juan Diego tilma relic stations of the
cross in side
chapel
The Ezcaray Retablo, a Spanish
baroque altar panel is displayed prominently in another alcove along with the
story of its restoration. At the back of the church is the baptistry, a
walk-in river Jordan type of pool with a beautiful tapestry depicting John the
Baptist baptizing Jesus as a backdrop. The church is hung with many of
these fabulous tapestries which have a story all their own. Because the
big stone church had big reverberations, the architects came up with the
soluton of tapestries to help with the acoustics and add to its character.
Tapestries were often used in ancient stone castles for similar reasons as
well as for decor and to cut drafts. The artist, from nearby Ojai, California,
hand painted portraits of each subject, using local models, then sent photos of
the portraits to the weaver in Brussels who used the computer generated images
to weave the intricate tapestries that grace the church.
excaray
retablo communion of saints
tapestry
baptistry
Angel sconces, the traditional symbol of a dedicated cathedral
used for special ceremonies, line the walls of the main church. The pipe
organ is also an interesting story. The original pipe organ from St. Vibiana's,
built in 1929 and rebuilt in 1988, would not be enough to rock the cathedral
full of bodies, so a new one was commissioned, incorporating pipes from the
original organs and adding tremendous volume for large ceremonies. Free organ
concerts are held every Wednesday after the noon mass - if you've never
experienced a pipe organ, now's the time!
angel
sconce organ
pipes behind main altar
The cross on the front of the cathedral is visible for miles
from the Hollywood freeway. It is flanked by 27,000 square feet of
alabaster "windows" which let natural light flood the main altar area inside the
cathedral during the day. At night, lights from within the cathedral cast a glow
around the cross. Heading downstairs we enter the mausoleum. I cannot
imagine what it must cost to be interred in this sumptuous abode of the dead,
but I do know the exquisite stained glass windows, circa 1922, are worth
seeing. They are also from St. Vibiana's, whose relics, by the way, have a
new special resting place here. There are stained glass depictions of
Jesus with the children, the Annunciation, the Resurrection and more throughout
the mausoleum. Symbolic murals with latin verse decorate the walls and
cielings. The mausoleum also has its own chapel.
cross at entry visible from 101
fwy. st. vibiana's relics in
mausoleum Jesus and the children
in mausoleum
Coming back upstairs we exit the other side of the building into
the meditation garden whose ponds and benches are shaded by several species of
palm trees. Walking back towards the main entry we are confronted by a life size
bronze of Jesus being nailed to the cross. We pause to contemplate the
great sacrifice and wonder about our own worthiness. We pass by the burning bush
in the "desert" and come to the outdoor shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Here we are reminded of the special devotion to "Nuestra Senora Reina de
los Angeles", here in the modern pueblo.
pond in meditation
garden
Crucifixion O.L.
of Guadalupe - outdoor altar
On our way back toward the parking garage, we pass another cool
fountain, depicting the temple steps, symbolic of the Jewish roots of the
Catholic faith. We enter the olive grove and children's play area. The
garden is cool and shady and the trickle and spray of the fountain relaxes us.
The walkways are engraved with symbols, each animal in the children's play area
given a religious meaning. Benches are strategically located, to sit and relax,
contemplate, and watch the children play.
step fountain near
garden olive
grove
children's play area
Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral is not just another
contemporary styled church. It incorporates classical architecture,
historic and restored pieces, and modern works of art. Its potential as a
tool for evangelization and outreach to the poor and needy is
immeasurable. As a haven for a bit of personal spiritual renewal and
refreshment, it definitely ranks as one of Catholic Traveller's "holy
places".
Next time you're in Los Angeles for
business or pleasure, plan a little pilgrimage (or just stop in)
to:
Cathedral of Our Lady of the
Angels 555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, California 90012-2707 Tel: (213)
680 - 5200 www.olacathedral.org
Copyright 2005 Robyn
Dolan
Please note: all content on this website, unless otherwise noted, is
Copyright 2003-2008 by Robyn Dolan. Content is intended for educational
and entertainment purposes only.
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