On July 17, 2019, Christ Cathedral was dedicated. A cathedral symbolizes that as a Church, we carry out the mission of Jesus not as individuals, nor as individual parishes, but as a community of faith whose unity is signified in the gathering of the bishop and the people.
Since 2012, we have been about the task of renovating the entire Christ Cathedral campus, culminating in the renovation of the cathedral building itself. Along with the renovations of the buildings has been the journey of transforming our parish, with its venerable beginnings as St. Callistus Church into Christ Cathedral Parish whose ministry now extends to the entire Diocese of Orange and beyond.
The Christ Cathedral Campus stands as a legacy to the faith and vision of a young preacher, Rev. Robert H. Schuller, and his wife, Arvella. Their humble beginnings preaching on the roof of a drive-in snack bar led to the establishment of a church and ministry that has touched the lives of millions of people over the years.
The development of Christ Cathedral has helped us as a diocese to build a deeper unity of purpose and mission as a local Church. At the same time, no real Church exists for its own sake. A Church exists also to reach out and touch those beyond its own members. The welcoming of people from all faith traditions and those who profess no faith but whose restless hearts, as St. Augustine says, are seeking rest in God, is what we are about as Christ Cathedral. Through all we do here, we want to be a place where people can come, renew their spirits and know that they are loved by God.
When I arrive on the campus each morning or leave in the evening after the last event, I truly sense the peace and holiness of this place. This is a sacred space that has been nourished by the thousands and thousands of people who have walked these grounds, have contributed to their construction or both. As we celebrate the dedication of the world’s newest cathedral, I am grateful for the ways you have and will continue to make Christ Cathedral a place for Christ forever.
Together in faith,
The Very Rev. Christopher Smith, rector