Single Donor Gives Diocese $20M To Revamp Christ Cathedral

GARDEN GROVE (AP) — The Diocese of Orange has received a $20 million donation to help renovate the famous glass-sided Crystal Cathedral and turn the campus into a center of Catholic life.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange said Wednesday that the gift came from a single donor who wants to remain anonymous.

It is the largest donation ever received by the Southern California diocese, which is home to 1.3 million Catholics.

The diocese says it plans to renovate the 34-acre campus and reopen the 2,000-seat sanctuary in 2017 as a cathedral for Orange County.

The diocese bought the property in 2012 after Crystal Cathedral Ministries declared bankruptcy.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)