Last week,
I mentioned that I wanted to give you a tour of my new diocese… I love the
location it’s beautifully built, it has so many points of focus. The thing that I love most is that it has
these larger than life biblical sculptures throughout, they serve as great
meditation sources... The first time I
visited the campus, when we were both not Catholic, I was impressed by its architectural
beauty. I was there to see their annual
Christmas play, even in the dark of the night the campus looked absolutely
radiant. They used to put on two
elaborate plays during the year one for Christmas and one for Easter, the plays
were so fantastically put together that people from all over the world came to
watch. The campus itself was like a
Christian tourist spot that yearly brought many curious travelers with cameras
in hand. Later, I discovered that the
church began as a drive-thru location, so that people would come, park and
without getting out of their cars hear the sermon. Fast-Christianity anyone? Yet, the church
grew too quickly and accumulated a lot of debt eventually filling for bankruptcy. I found this out when I wanted to take my
parents to see the Nativity play and I was told the performances were on hold indefinitely. Apparently they were unable to pay the actors
and animal dealers and were going through serious lawsuits. I had been attending their Sunday services,
taking bible studies and was considering joining the church. On Christmas Eve, my parents accompanied me
and we went to a service that closed with snow falling from its ceilings and everyone in attendance got a complete, porcelain nativity souvenir. My parents
though impressed by the wealth of the church, said they still preferred their
Catholic Church. Yet, I continued going because I enjoyed the spectacle and the great preaching. Until, one Sunday we were introduced to an
Argentine preacher who would be taking over the Spanish speaking community. He was a really big deal (extremely famous) in Argentina
and had a very impressive resume- so the Cathedral couldn’t stop raving about
what a great acquisition he was to the church.
Yet, when he began speaking he began bashing on Catholics and I was so
turned off that I didn’t listen to anything else he said. I couldn’t believe that a leader of such a
reputable church (with such an impressive background) would begin by attacking
other people of faith. That was the last
time I went to a protestant church before I went home to the Catholic Church… I had forgotten about the Crystal Cathedral
with all its splendor, until I was told that our Catholic Church was in
negotiations about purchasing the property.
Now that it’s
ours and that my Diocese has relocated to the new Catholic Christ
Cathedral I get to enjoy the campus on almost a weekly basis. God is really funny! Never doubt His sense of humor! I look at Him and I remind Him of how close I
was to joining this church.
He smirks.
I smile, impressed by His ability to
convert even Fast-Christian-Tourist locations.
Yesterday, I was sitting in one of the gardens lost in meditation and
contemplation. When a thought occurred. The Cathedral is being gutted out and
completely transformed from the inside to make it appropriate for Catholic
worship. Like me, the Cathedral is
undergoing major internal renovation.
Everything inside has been taken apart and only those appropriate parts (like
the organ) will be kept everything else will be replaced. I love the Christ Cathedral more now because
we have so much in common - we are even experiencing growing pains
together!
Most class
days I like to go early and spend some time in quiet solitude in one of its gardens. Yesterday, I sat listening to the running
water in the area where the “Whoever is without sin among you, cast the first
stone,” sculpture rests. Someday I hope
I can give you an actual in person tour and share more about my adventures in
my journey towards the Catholic Church, for now enjoy the pictures.
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