A plan to remove memorial stones from the landmark Crystal Cathedral
in Southern California is drawing opposition from donors who paid
thousands of dollars to honor loved ones.
The Roman
Catholic Diocese of Orange County announced plans last week to remove
nearly 1,800 "Walk of Faith" stones surrounding the Garden Grove
cathedral.
Cathedral founder Robert Schuller sold
the diamond-shaped granite memorials for up to $3,000 each, promising
they'd remain for centuries.
But the Catholic
Church, which bought the bankrupt church last year, says it will remove
the stones for renovation purposes. Purchasers can retrieve them and
also view them in digital form on a website.
The
Orange County Register reports some donors are
heartbroken, including 88-year-old Judy De Clercq.
The Anaheim woman
says she'll beg officials not to remove her memorial to her late son.