Catholics and the Megachurch Movement: A Response to Francis Mannion

by Msgr. Arthur A. Holquin

I read with interest Msgr. Mannion’s “Viewpoint” on megachurches and Christ Cathedral. I appreciate Msgr. Mannion’s Viewpoint column, with some reservations.

In the acquisition of the former Crystal Cathedral, there was no attempt to amalgamate the neighboring parishes into one cathedral mega-parish. We were blessed with the fortuitous situation of the neighboring Catholic parish, St. Callistus, becoming the foundational community for Christ Cathedral. St. Callistus is a tri-lingual, tri-cultural parish (English, Spanish, Vietnamese) that gathers over 12,000 people each weekend for 10 Masses. They presently worship in the renovated first sanctuary that Dr. Schuller built designed by the iconic American architect, Richard Neutra.

With the anticipated completion of the major renovation of the cathedral and the cathedral close at the beginning of 2017, this culturally rich, diverse and thriving community will welcome to the mother church of our diocese the broader community of over 1,000,000 Catholics.

Msgr. Mannion asks the question: What would a Catholic megachurch look like architecturally? Certainly, it would not take the modernist, functionalist Christ Cathedral as a model, he said.

In all candor, I was both surprised and disappointed at his disparaging comment. The consultants and architects working on this utterly unique project were faced with the challenge of respecting the genius of one of America’s signature architects of the 20th century and creatively transforming this space to accommodate Cathedral worship in keeping with conciliar liturgical reforms.

All involved with the architectural planning realized that there would have to be a dramatic move from a Word-centered theatrical space to that of highlighting the sacramentality of Cathedral worship in the Catholic tradition. It is for this reason that the altar will be positioned in the axis mundi of the assembly that will be gathered in antiphonal style on either side of the predella. The cathedra will be positioned at one end of this broad central expanse with the raised ambo at the other end.

While classic artistic features will be incorporated into the iconography gracing sanctuary and narthex as well as the undercroft Chapel, it was important that contemporary artistic continuity be maintained with the dramatic lines of this Philip Johnson structure. All involved in this historic project are extremely proud of this imaginative and model design.

A very fine video that highlights key elements in the planning process can be viewed below.

Msgr. Holquin is the Episcopal Vicar for Divine Worship in the Diocese of Orange and one of the liturgical consultants on the renovation project of Christ Cathedral.