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There was an interesting discussion in the thread on painted churches about just how feasible it is to build such a church. The topic of the Diocese of Orange's purchase of the Crystal Cathedral came up, and I took the opportunity to turn it into another article:

Modern Medievalism Wrote:

Someone who read my previous article on painted churches brought to my attention the fact that the Catholic Diocese of Orange had been on the market for a new cathedral. But with a rough economy and a few million bucks in the red after the latest onslaught of pedophile priest lawsuits, who has the money or inclination to give God His due and build a worthy new temple from scratch? Tod Brown, Bishop of Orange, got lucky: it turned out that the Crystal Cathedral, a monstrous heap of glass and steel in Garden Grove, California, home of the Reformed Protestant “Hour of Power” televangelism ministry, had mismanaged themselves into bankruptcy. It was a win-win situation in the making: the Diocese could buy the Crystal Cathedral (ironically neither made of crystal nor actually a cathedral) for its own on the cheap, and the Hour of Power guys could crawl out of debt. At a “mere” $58 million, it was a steal. The deal was done, and by June 2013, the building will be re-christened Christ Cathedral and consecrated to Catholic worship.

            Now, casually glance at the comments box of any news article reporting this transaction; this one from the Huffington Post will do; and the universal response will be from some reader with absolutely zero vested interest in the matter cry out with righteous indignation, “how dare those pedophile-enablers throw away millions of dollars on a building while kids are starving in Africa! If Jesus were here, he’d sell the building and give all the money away to the Peace Corps!” Never mind that Jesus is a fairy tale to them, anyway. Granted, they’re certainly right about us Catholics being pedophile enablers. If we really cared about protecting our children, not to mention the honor of the eternal Church, we’d have demanded more accountability and justice enacted upon offending priests a long time ago. But that’s a topic for greater minds to write on. I’m only a poor aesthete. My goal today is to explain how the self-righteous commenters are wrong on all the other counts, how the Diocese of Orange is a den of thieves and cheapskates, and how once again, our medieval forebears knew the score and had their priorities straight.

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Whenever you hear someone complain about the perceived waste in the construction of "mere" buildings, you can forward this article to them.

I went to that new Banjo place in Fatima, just the other day, and the main aisle had gaffer tape holding the MDF panelling together.

Notre Dame is great value compared to that crap.  Rub down lightly with a wire brush and it is as good as new.

Anybody on here an artist put a grand high altar where the stage is at the Catholic Diocese of Orange County,California new Christ Cathedral (formerly the Crystal Cathedral) Lets see how it would look

(08-30-2012, 07:05 PM)salus Wrote: [ -> ]Anybody on here an artist put a grand high altar where the stage is at the Catholic Diocese of Orange County,California new Christ Cathedral (formerly the Crystal Cathedral) Lets see how it would look

At a certain point, it just becomes lipstick on a pig.

Harlequin we have to try to make the best out of a bad situation.

(08-30-2012, 09:42 PM)salus Wrote: [ -> ]Harlequin we have to try to make the best out of a bad situation.

I doubt anyone who's responsible for this church would listen to our suggestions for how to Christianize that place, but if I could draw, I'd still have a hard time imagining how to redeem that building. When a building is completely devoid of spiritual value, I think it's preferable to just have Mass outside if that's the only option.

(08-30-2012, 09:54 PM)The_Harlequin_King Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-30-2012, 09:42 PM)salus Wrote: [ -> ]Harlequin we have to try to make the best out of a bad situation.

I doubt anyone who's responsible for this church would listen to our suggestions for how to Christianize that place, but if I could draw, I'd still have a hard time imagining how to redeem that building. When a building is completely devoid of spiritual value, I think it's preferable to just have Mass outside if that's the only option.

I agree. One would be sadly mistaken to think that sacred architecture can be reduced to just the essential structures of a Catholic church (altar, baptistery, etc.). The whole of the Church is meant to convey the truths of the faith. As Pugin would say, it ought to be a,"A catechism distilled in stone." Slapping a proper High Altar in the midst of such a profoundly counter-Catholic environment would do little to nothing in reintroducing Catholicity into the space.

Tod Brown won't let a proper High Altar within 20 miles of that building. 

I really wish an earth quake would destroy that building and then they could use the insurance money to build a proper cathedral.

never mind  >:(