Dedication Events Celebrate Opening of the Cathedral of Christ the Light

Business Wire, Sept 10, 2008

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A procession this Sunday, September 14, from old to new cathedral is the first in a series of dedication events celebrating the opening of the first cathedral to be designed and built in the 21st century - Oakland's Cathedral of Christ the Light.

Sunday's event comes exactly 117 years after the original cornerstone was laid on September 13, 1891 at the site of what would become St. Francis de Sales Church, later Cathedral.

This Sunday the public is invited to gather along Grand Avenue between San Pablo and Harrison streets. A procession of parish participants will begin at approximately 2:30pm, leaving from the 21st St. and San Pablo site of the old cathedral, proceeding to W. Grand Avenue and then down Grand to the Harrison street location of the new Cathedral. Activities within the two sites are by invitation.

Nearly 1000 parishioners, members of a dozen Catholic ethnic groups and musicians will walk to the new site and then participate in the placing of the foundation stones from both old and new cathedrals.

Other openings and events scheduled include:

-- Wednesday, September 10 - Cathedral Shop opens daily from 9:30-5:00pm

-- Thursday, September 25, 2pm - Mass of Dedication (by invitation)

-- Friday, September 26, 10am - Civic and Interfaith Service (open)

-- Sunday, September 28, 10am - First public Mass in the Cathedral

-- Wednesday, October 1, 1pm - Weekday docent tours for individuals begin. Gather at 1pm at the main cathedral doors; no reservations needed.

-- Saturday, October 11, 2:00pm - Blessing of the Healing Garden (open): contact Jennifer Chapin at 209-581-4106 for more details.

-- Sunday, November 2, 2:00pm - Dedication of the Cathedral Mausoleum

More information on these and other events will be available at the cathedral web site www.ctlcathedral.org

The Cathedral of Christ the Light is the world's newest Catholic Cathedral, designed by Craig Hartman and the San Francisco office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The Cathedral serves the 500,000 Catholics of Alameda and Contra Costa counties as well as the entire East Bay's civic and interfaith communities.