Catholic Church steps in to buy iconic Crystal Cathedral

After more than four years of familial and financial turmoil, Orange County's iconic Crystal Cathedral will be sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.

According to Deepa Bharath and Jon Cassidy, writing for The Orange County Register, the saga of this megachurch, which grew from a humble ministry in the Orange drive-in and rose to grandeur with its shimmering glass tower, sanctuary and world-renowned "Hour of Power" television programme, will now likely continue in a much smaller, relatively unknown building not far from its current home.

Bharath and Cassidy write that a federal bankruptcy judge was expected to rule Thursday whether Chapman University or the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County should buy the iconic Crystal Cathedral.

The newspaper says that late Thursday evening U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Kwan issued the ruling, acknowledging the tremendous work put in by Chapman University, the diocese's competitor, which offered as much as $59 million for the 40-acre Crystal Cathedral campus. The diocese will get the property for $57.5 million.

According to the newspaper report, under the diocese's plan, the ministry will be able to lease the core buildings including the cathedral and the Tower of Hope for three years -- at $100,000 a month during the first year and $150,000 for years two and three. They also will be able to lease the school building for $10,000 a month until the end of school year 2013.

After three years, Crystal Cathedral Ministries and the school will move to the 10-acre property on Lewis Street where St. Callistus is now located, the newspaper said.

The newspaper reports that several longtime congregants who supported Chapman's bid in an effort to remain in their home church left in tears after the judge announced the decision.

The Rev. Tod Brown, Bishop of the Diocese of Orange, said the court hearing was a "bittersweet experience" for him.

"I have the deepest regret and sympathy for the Crystal Cathedral ministry," he said. "I was moved, painfully so, by congregants who are worried about the future of their ministry."

On the other hand, Brown said he is excited for the 1.2 million or so members of the Orange County Catholic community who will have an iconic building as their new center.

"We will get a renowned architect to renovate that building so it will be suitable for a Catholic place of worship," he said. "But we have no intention to change the exterior of the building."

The newspaper quoted Brown as saying money for the purchase of the property will come from loans and sale of various properties owned by the diocese. Responding to criticism about the diocese's legal obligations to victims of sexual abuse, Brown said he believes that the diocese "has met all of its legal obligations to the victims of sexual abuse."

"We continue our outreach to these victims," he said. "We are certainly not neglecting them."

James Doti, president of Chapman University, said the university accepts the judge's decision and does not plan to appeal, the newspaper reported.

"Well, we lost, we're going to look at what's next," he said. "I always believe things work out for the best. Sometimes, what is perceived as a setback turns out to be a favor."

According to the newspaper report, Robert H. Schuller, his wife Arvella and senior pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman did not attend the court hearing. Rev. Schuller's daughter Carol Milner and her husband, Tim Milner, sat through the entire hearing. Carol Milner spoke twice during the proceedings.

Congregants, who left the courthouse tearful and disappointed, said they felt betrayed, the newspaper stated.

"The cathedral's administration and the board have really stripped us of our ministry," said Bob Canfield. "In the end, it was all about the money. The congregants have lost their ministry."

Chuck Stalter called the decision "the death of the church."

"There will be a mass exodus tomorrow," he said.

The newspaper report says tensions escalated between the parties Thursday after the Crystal Cathedral board in a late meeting Wednesday picked the diocese as the preferred buyer after choosing Chapman on two different occasions.

Board member Diane Highum defended their decision, saying the ministry will go on regardless of where it is located. She said board members were uncomfortable with Chapman's lease terms and its future plans for the campus.

"I will be able to live with the decision we made although it was a very tough one," she said. "There is no question in my mind that the ministry will go on in a different direction."

The newspaper reported that Chapman University's original offer was for $51.5 million with a 15-year leaseback and a five-year buyback option. But during the course of this week, Chapman has made two additional offers - one for $51.5 million with a $1-a-month, 15-year lease for core buildings without a buyback option and another that came Wednesday afternoon for $59 million, with a $25,000-a-month lease for 10 years, also without a buyback option.

The newspaper said Crystal Cathedral founder Robert H. Schuller released a statement in support of the board's decision Thursday. Rev. Schuller and his wife, Arvella, are both voting members on the board.

"My wife and I, prior to Monday's hearing, had already decided to support the diocese's offer to purchase the Crystal Cathedral campus," he said. "Though we deeply respect Chapman University, the uncertainly regarding the future use of the campus for religious purposes was divergent to the call of both God and our denomination that we embraced 60 years ago."

Coleman said in a statement that that the decision to select the Catholic Church "breaks her heart." But she said she is hopeful that "there is still plenty of time for God to do His miracle."

"If it is God's will for us to move, we believe it will be where He needs us most," she said. "It does not mean that our ministry will be diminished. Crystal Cathedral church is not a building. A church is comprised of people who are dedicated to practicing through words and works."