The numerous families in the tri-valley area demand our promised Catholic high school!! This ugly cathedral took our earmarked money. Now there is an inner city 4 day a week Cristo rei “school” that lacks d I v e r s I t y!! No more money to this diocese!! Too bad families who stay together-the backbone of the old church—no longer matter.

It is a beautiful looking building -- though my garden shed looks as much like a church from the outside as this does. Apparently though, as often happens in modern architecture, form (appearance) is the primary goal, and function has come in at a very distant second place. Maybe they should bring back teaching about form following function in architecture school. They could also maybe discuss churches that look churches -- especially Catholic ones!

Look up "Ralph Adams Cram" or "Ferguson & Cram architects" ; the president is an architect named Ethan Anthony. https://www.traditionalbuil...
What is astounding is that neither Anthony (nor his 19-20th century predecessor, Cram) were/ are Catholic; however they were/ are/ both touched by divine fire and are the sacred architects we want for the future.

If you learn of a place where Ethan Anthony is lecturing, go and hear him. HE / HIS FIRM (full of energetic young Catholic apprentices) GETS IT.
It was he who turned the tide away from building ugly churches in the USA. In 2002-2003 he built the modern Ordinariate Cathedral in Houston. I was there to watch: from the time the steel went up, passers-by (most of whom non-Catholic) said approvingly, "That's a REAL church!" Some red-brick condos were planned across the street from it. When the builders saw the natural Texas limestone going up the walls, they changed their plans from red to pale yellow brick to compliment the beautiful church.

The whole neighbourhood seemed renewed; took pride in such a graceful structure, and people off the street wandered in saying, this would be the sort of church I'd want to worship in-- a great evangelistic opportunity people like me jumped on happily; and we have some of those people as part of the parish today. Pope Benedict pointed out the neglected witness of "The Beautiful" as part of the new evangelisation, and architect Ethan Anthony himself said he was interiorly changed by his interaction with the founding pastor, the late Fr James T. Moore of holy memory; and the people of the parish while building the church.

The new Church (later, Cathedral) of Our Lady of Walsinham won an important prize in 2004, and E. Anthony woke up famous. He wrote a photographic book about historical Cram churches, and he was suddenly in demand as a lecturer. In his lectures He talks (generally using his latest project as example) about the "requirements" for worship, and how we use the lessons of the past to make 21st century church buildings which are not "pastiches" but are rooted in best practice and traditions of the past which make for a beautiful, reverent building worthy of the worship that it shelters.
The mystical figure of Ralph Adams Cram, (an Anglo-Catholic) and his 19th century career of building beautiful churches was launched when he had an ineffable experience of the Divine which inspired his career as an architect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wi... The Episcopal Church commemorates his memory (a "feast day"!) in prayer on 19 December.

In a way, Cram and Anthony ( who took up the torch and vocation of Cram, who was all but forgotten though his churches are still cherished) by not being Catholics, are more significant witnesses to the excellence of traditional Catholic churches and monasteries because they are "objective outsiders".
Mr. Anthony and his lovely wife are dearly loved and stay in touch with OLW of Houston and we pray affectionately for them that in God's good time they will become Catholics too.

Look up his website and see what he's built. Spread the word that God has gifted us with GOOD architects for fine new Churches if people are wise enough to want them.

When I hear "cathedral " ny thoughts turn to soaring beauty. I find this one vulgar.

Praise from architects trumps spiritual every time. Not as if folk actually need a place to pray in modern American Catholicism, especially in large cities, as quiet adoration is passè, when there is so much else to do.

or something like that. How about award winning architecture is what matters, not saving souls? close?

See :https://www.traditionalbuil...
And see my long note on good modern Catholic architecture three spaces above your posting.

This is the best they can offer Our Almighty Father who created the earth, the mountains, the heavens, the flowers, the oceans. This hideous EYE-sore is what they offer Him. God have MERCY on those who do not ADORE, who do not LOVE and who do not TRUST IN YOU. From the prayer from the three Saints of Fatima who were shown hell.

Among the "alleged flaws", they left out "UGLY" and "iconoclastic". The latter is actually an infallibly defined heresy. In 787 the seventh ecumenical council at Nicaea condemned iconoclasm. The Protestant Reformation--and the 1960s "fake spirit of vatican II" Modernists--resurrected it.
But iconoclasm is a heresy, nonetheless.

Looks like God has had it to here with ugly churches.

Yeah... That's a pretty ugly church. I expect better from the Catholic Church.

modern architect designers are simply void of behavioral comprehension. this building is a good example of the prioritized programmed photo-op design with spite toward the usefullness to the human occupant

That is one ugly building. Looks like a rack of lamb.

Too bad we cant resurrect the architects of Notre Dame or Chartres. We would have a solid, well-built structure that's aesthetically pleasing as well.

Honestly looks more like an art museum than a place where we worship the Lord of our lives. What ever happened to the Cathedrals built by our forefathers in Europe, the beauty has lasted centuries. Ten years from now people will think this is ugly and should be torn down so it can be replaced by an even more modern structure. What a waste of the faithfuls money. How can we expect God to bless an undertaking that shows no reverence for him. Will our leaders never learn. It is for God, not for man.

"Ten years from now people will think this is ugly and should be torn down..."

I think it's ugly now. Here's a real Cathedral; Chartres France. It took 26 years to build starting in the late 12th century. The modern(ist) church doesn't have the faith or the grit to build something so spectacular. Neither do the French anymore which is why this will probably be a mosque in 50 years but that's another story.

http://www.paradoxplace.com...

I stand corrected, it is ugly when we compare it to those cathedrals of old when the bishops had faith in God rather than the world.

I blame Satan.

Too many working in the trades that have no business being there. Carpenters who were painters the day before, landscapers the day before that and whatever was needed the day before that. I was first confronted with this situation in the DC while working on Sutton Towers in 1980. We were hoping Ronald Reagan would be the answer. He was for many things but not the answer we were looking for because 6 years later he signed the Simpson-Mazzoli Act into law giving legal status to 9 million criminal illegal aliens (Yes I know they said there were only 3 million. Just like there are only 9-11 million today.)

Today with the sanctuaries of DC, Fairfax County, VA and Montgomery County, MD you've got a better chance of finding someone who speaks English in Tijuana than on a construction site in the DC metro area. Those who hire a contractor whose business office is under a shade tree next to the 7-eleven parking lot are the problem. And I sincerely hope their building falls down around them too.

The common result when quality is delegated to experts. Getting good construction is an art, Trump has that art. Let's take a moment to appreciate having somebody who can supervise quality construction projects as our president. That's a good thing.

To many guys in the trades just don't care about quality and craftsmanship. It's all about just get it done, good enough and milk the overtime.

I thought the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels here in L.A. was ugly, but WOW!, this one surpasses that by a mile. This type of architecture is a direct result of Vatican-II. Since the late 1960s, as a result of V-II, a vast majority of new Catholic churches are monstrosities like this and have no feeling of the majesty, glory, and history of the church.

..and leave the results to the courts and lawyers...thanks guys!