The Crystal Cathedral, founded by Robert Schuller, was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange in 2011 due to financial difficulties. It has since been renamed Christ Cathedral and underwent extensive renovations.
Robert Schuller was a televangelist and founder of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. He was well-known for his weekly Hour of Power television program, which was broadcast from the cathedral. The Crystal Cathedral was completed in 1980 and was a stunning glass building designed by architect Philip Johnson. It served as the home for Schuller’s ministry and became an iconic symbol of televangelism.
However, in the late 2000s, Schuller’s ministry began to face significant financial challenges. Declining donations, coupled with the economic downturn, led to a severe financial crisis. In 2010, the Crystal Cathedral Ministries filed for bankruptcy, citing more than $50 million in debt.
After a series of complex negotiations, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange purchased the property for $57.5 million in 2011. The acquisition was part of the diocese’s long-term plan to establish a cathedral that could accommodate its large and growing congregation. The sale marked the end of an era for Schuller’s ministry, which had to find a new location for its services.
The transition from a Protestant megachurch to a Catholic cathedral involved significant changes. The building underwent a major renovation to make it suitable for Catholic worship, including alterations to the interior to accommodate Catholic liturgy and iconography. The transformation was completed, and the building was consecrated as Christ Cathedral in 2019.
Robert Schuller himself passed away in 2015, but his legacy lives on through his writings and the impact of his ministry. The Crystal Cathedral remains a landmark in American religious history, albeit with a new purpose and community.