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May 7,
2007 
VOL.
45, NO. 9Oakland,
CA
In
His Light
Cathedral is becoming a masterpiece that speaks of faith
Dear Friends
in Christ:
The principal theme of my remarks this week is our new cathedral. During
these very days, the great inner vault of the Cathedral of Christ the
Light is rising up from the foundational walls on the plaza at the corner
of Harrison Street and Grand Avenue, across from Children’s Fairyland.
It is a majestic and awe-inspiring sight.
As of my last visit to the site, there were already 10 100-foot-long wooden
vertical ribs in place. These are mounted on top of the concrete foundation
wall (The Reliquary Wall) which forms the base of the building. And in
four of the spaces between these ribs the horizontal “louvers”
are in place.
The result is that the part of work which is now done makes it very easy
for us to use our imagination “to fill in the blanks” in order
to picture what this masterpiece will be like when completed.
From even the small portion of the vault that is now up, we have a solid
confirmation of how beautiful our cathedral will be. For centuries to
come our local Church and our East Bay community will have in our midst
a stunningly splendid image of the heavenly vault.
God the Creator made that cosmic vault to be a dwelling place for light:
“And God set [the lights] in the firmament of the heavens to give
light upon the earth” (Genesis1:17).
Our cathedral is a symbol, a sort of “miniature,” of that
cosmic vault. In this way the builder makes it possible through his art
for us to be in the presence of the first light of the first day of creation,
when God, the master architect, gave the order: “Let there be light”
(Genesis 1:3).
And this great icon-building also lets us be present to the light that
will dawn on the last day of the world’s history: that light which
will never set because it is the light that will shine out from Christ
himself: “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon
it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb [Jesus
Christ] (Revelation 21:23).
To all the generations that will see the Cathedral of Christ the Light
in the centuries to come, we, who build it, will be witnessing to the
truth that the world was from its beginning made for Jesus Christ and
that at its consummation it will find its only true fulfillment in him.
Those who accept in Christ the Light that guides their steps through the
world are on the path of true wisdom and enlightenment, heading to their
life’s fulfillment, and they will bask in his light in the heavenly
Jerusalem forever.
The light of this world, as marvelous as it is, is only a shadow of the
true light that is Jesus. This is the good news we share; this is the
message of the New Evangelization called for by the Second Vatican Council.
In presenting our message to our community through this architectural
masterpiece, we are offering Christ’s saving word in a most effective
medium, one that is powerfully attractive: a medium that speaks with that
kind of force which beauty exercises in order to captivate us, to elicit
from us the freely given gift of our heart, the very gift that Christ
asks for.
As I invite people to help build this great work of Christian art, I try
to help them understand how important it is as a resource for the Catholic
community of the East Bay to accomplish our mission.
I am convinced that God will do great things in our midst through the
new cathedral and the center which surrounds it, and all the events that
take place there – great public events, like an annual youth rally
or a Mass to pray for teachers; and more private events, like a half hour
of peace-restoring-quiet under the great luminous vault.
We are not far away from the time when I will be asking all the people
of our diocese to support this great effort. Right now, as the walls of
our church are rising, I am asking for something even more important;
I am begging you for your prayers.
Please pray ardently for God to sustain us in bringing this project to
a successful completion – a work to spread his glory and to illuminate
the path to saving peace.
In drawing this column to its conclusion, I want to be sure to express
a word of congratulations for Mother’s Day. To all of you who fulfill
this most noble and important task, I offer, in the name of the Church,
this expression of appreciation for all the ways you generously live this
calling. Please know that you have the support of the prayers of the whole
Christian community.
Christ, the Light of all Peoples, have mercy on us.
Our Lady, Mother of the Church in Oakland and Queen of the World, pray
for us.
Previous "In His Light" Columns by Bishop Allen H. Vigneron
