Why a Cathedral for the Centuries
As an edifice of transcendent beauty, built to stand for centuries, The Cathedral of Christ the Light Center fulfills a diversity of needs for our Diocese, for Oakland and the surrounding East Bay communities.
- It is the mother church and spiritual home of all the members of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Oakland, which inspires our diverse community across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The ministries at the Cathedral and its adjacent campus will foster unity through worship, teaching and evangelization, and works of service – especially to the poor and those at the margins of society. The Cathedral functions as a “palace of the poor,” serving those in need by appealing to volunteers and donors who support cultural and community projects from a platform that will exist for centuries.
- It is the new home of the former parish communities of St. Mary/St. Francis de Sales/St. Andrew/St. Joseph replacing the loss of St. Francis de Sales to the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The Cathedral cements the bonds that make up our one faith-community from the Diocese’s 85 separate parishes and half million worshippers – from Blackhawk to West Oakland, from Richmond to Union City, and from Livermore to Lafayette and Orinda. The Cathedral will continue many of the ministries of its predecessors, adding to them as strategic planning continues. The parish and its clergy minister to the spiritual needs of the many people who work in downtown Oakland (e.g., daily Mass, frequent opportunities for Confession, pastoral counseling, adult faith formation opportunities).
- The other buildings on the Cathedral campus reinforce its mission as a community center and extend its effectiveness. The Cathedral Center includes pastoral offices, a large conference center and central Chancery -- the support services for all our parishes, schools and communities throughout the Diocese. The conference center is an ideal venue for diocesan group gatherings, major adult education events, workshops and lectures. It will serve the greater Oakland community as well. The Cathedral and its plaza are open to anyone who wishes to socialize on the plaza benches, walk through the gardens, attend social and religious events, or take time for personal reflection and prayer.
- The Cathedral is the ideal gathering place for major events in the Diocese. The schedule of events certainly will include ordinations to the priesthood and the deaconate, adult Confirmations, welcoming of new Catholics from across the Diocese (“Rite of Election”), the Mass for the Blessing of the Holy Oils, celebrations of Catholic organizations and associations, gatherings from our many Catholic schools, and the annual ethnic diversity day celebration (“Chautauqua”). We also foresee hosting additional new events, perhaps including: annual celebrations for public safety personnel, doctors and health care workers, teachers, members of the bar, university professors and administrators, nuns and other members of religious orders, and people engaged in commerce; the celebration of the World Day of the Sick, with a Mass and anointing for folks from throughout the Diocese.
