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March
5, 2007
VOL.
45, NO. 5Oakland,
CA
Oakland pastor
named by bishop
to help with cathedral development
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Father Michael Norkett |
Father Michael
Norkett, pastor of St. Paschal Parish in Oakland and former director of
clergy services in the Oakland Diocese, is joining the staff of Bishop
Allen Vigneron to help raise funds for the Cathedral of Christ the Light.
In announcing Father Norkett’s appointment as priest co-chair of
the Cathedral Campaign, Bishop Vigneron said the priest will work closely
with him and the cathedral project staffs to secure the funds needed to
complete the $190 million complex.
More than $91 million in donations and pledges have already been secured.
Father Norkett, who will continue as pastor of his Oakland parish, said
he is excited about taking on the two-fold challenge of identifying and
working with prospective donors and helping priests and parishioners develop
a sense of ownership and responsibility for the cathedral.
He is no stranger to major building projects. He was pastor of St. Joseph
Parish in Fremont during the restoration of Mission San Jose in the early
1980s. He told The Voice that during the planning for the Mission he insisted
that it become a spiritual and cultural center and not function solely
as a historical museum.
Likewise, he said, the new cathedral will be an inclusive center where
Catholics from throughout the diocese can gather for major liturgical
and community events. “The cathedral is for everyone,” he
said.
The cathedral center is currently under construction at the corner of
Harrison Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Oakland.
The complex will include a cathedral with seating for 1500, a mausoleum,
a conference center, offices for parish and diocesan staff, living quarters
for parish priests and the bishop, a bookstore and cafe, underground parking
and an outdoor plaza.
The new cathedral replaces St. Francis de Sales Cathedral which was irreparably
damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and demolished in 1993.
Information about the cathedral project is available at www.christthelightcathedral.org.
