The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is exploring the idea of buying the
Crystal Cathedral, which has been struggling financially for the last
four years and is in bankruptcy.
The Diocese of Orange released a statement Wednesday morning saying
that Bishop Tod D. Brown has authorized The Busch Law Firm and other
diocese advisers to "explore the possibilities" regarding Garden Grove's
glass cathedral.
This announcement comes the day after Chapman University put in a $46
million offer to put a health science campus on the cathedral's 35-acre
property.
The Diocese of Orange is looking into building a cathedral in Santa
Ana to meet the needs of about 1.2 million Catholics in Orange County,
which is the 11th largest diocese in the United States.
"While we continue to develop plans for a cathedral in Santa Ana, it
is prudent to evaluate the opportunity to engage in the pending auction
of this property and to mitigate the chance that it ceases to function
as a place of worship, if acquired by others," Bishop Brown said in the
release.
Brown said he has authorized his advisers to contact the cathedral's
representatives to take the next step. He said his goal is to prevent
the "loss of an important Christian ministry." The diocese has a duty to
at least review the options, he said.
Marc Winthrop, the attorney representing Crystal Cathedral Ministries
in the bankruptcy case, said there is a lot of interest from different
parties and enquiries are coming in "on a daily basis."
"The diocese would obviously buy the property to use it for
themselves, which will be a big impediment as far as the Crystal
Cathedral is concerned," he said.
Winthrop said the Catholic Church would use the cathedral's core
buildings including the all-glass sanctuary, which would make it
impossible for Crystal Cathedral to continue as a ministry.
The diocese is interested in the cathedral because it is a landmark
in Orange County, said Steve Bohannon, spokesman for the Diocese of
Orange.
"Also, none of the other entities that have expressed interest in
purchasing the Crystal Cathedral are religious institutions," he said.
If the deal were to go through, the diocese would have no need for another cathedral in Santa Ana, Bohannon said.
"But at this time, it's too far away," he said.
Chapman University's plan counters one submitted in May by the
cathedral and Newport Beach developer Greenlaw Partners LLC. Greenlaw
proposed to buy the campus for the same $46 million price, build
hundreds of apartments and sell the remainder of the property back to
the cathedral for $30 million.
The creditors committee, which comprises many individuals and
entities to whom the cathedral owes millions, has filed a motion in
bankruptcy court strongly in favor of Chapman University's proposal.
The
Chapman proposal would pay off all creditors on the effective date.
Both proposals provide leaseback and buyback options to the Crystal Cathedral.
Lillian Forry, who plans to be buried at the cathedral's Memorial Gardens one day, said she likes the university's proposal.
"It's a lot better than having apartment units on the property," she
said. "Better yet, they'll get all the creditors paid in full. I really
feel for those people who are being owed money."
Forry said she also feels badly for founder Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella.
"But, they should have handled their finances better," she said.