9/3/02

LC020903

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> WE'LL GO INSIDE THE NEW LOS ANGELES CATHEDRAL. IT HAS FOREVER CHANGED THE CITY'S SKYLINE, BUT CAN IT HELP TO SAVE DOWNTOWN L.A.?

TOD TAMBERG>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CHINATOWN JUST DOWN THE STREET OR OLVERA STREET OR CENTRAL MARKETPLACE. THERE'S MOCA. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO DISCOVER DOWNTOWN AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE SORT OF A JUMPING OFF PLACE FOR SOME OF THAT.

VAL>> AND THROUGH THE AGES, RELIGION HAS INSPIRED SOME OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST ART. TONIGHT WE'LL SEE HOW THE LOS ANGELES ARCHDIOCESE IS CONTINUING THAT TRADITION.

MSGR. KEVIN KOSTELNIK>> THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE ART BECOME A FOCUS AND A POINT OF INSPIRATION FOR PEOPLE AND WE'VE TAKEN GREAT CARE TO CELEBRATE BEAUTY.

JESS>> THE NEW CATHEDRAL HAS ITS FANS AND ITS CRITICS. CAN YOU GUESS WHERE PATT MORRISON FITS IN?

PATT MORRISON>> TO SOME, IT'S A TEMPLE. TO OTHERS, IT'S THE "TAJ MAHONY". THE NEW CATHEDRAL AND THE OLD ARGUMENTS -- ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> PLUS A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE CREATION OF ONE REMARKABLE PART OF THE CATHEDRAL: THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. IT IS WOVEN INTO THE TAPESTRIES THAT HANG ON WALLS TOWERING TWELVE STORIES HIGH. TONIGHT WE'LL SHOW YOU THE REAL FACES OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS WHO INSPIRED THE ART.

JESS>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

IT WAS A BAPTISM LIKE NO OTHER. THE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS WAS CHRISTENED WITH PAGEANTRY AND RITUAL RESERVED FOR SACRED MILESTONES. FOR CARDINAL ROGER MAHONY, IT'S A PERSONAL TRIUMPH AT A TIME WHEN THE CHURCH IS MIRED IN A DARK SCANDAL.

VAL>> BUT WHAT WILL THE NEW CATHEDRAL MEAN TO THE PEOPLE OF LOS ANGELES? AS TONI GUINYARD REPORTS, THE CHURCH HAS A BROAD MISSION IN MIND THAT INVOLVES MUCH MORE THAN SERVING THE CATHOLIC FAITHFUL.

TONI GUINYARD>> UNTIL NOW, MOST OF US HAVE ONLY SEEN THE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, BUT THE L.A. ARCHDIOCESE WANTS THE PUBLIC, BOTH CATHOLIC AND NON-CATHOLIC, TO STEP INSIDE AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND. THEY WANT THE CATHEDRAL AND ADJOINING COMPLEX TO BE CONSIDERED A CENTRAL MEETING SPOT AND SPIRITUAL HAVEN.

TOD TAMBERG>> WELL, I THINK THE CARDINAL HAS PUT IT VERY SUCCINCTLY. WE WELCOME EVERYBODY.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE PLAN TO WELCOME EVERYONE IS RESULTING IN AN INTERESTING MIX OF SCHEDULED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNCTIONS.

BEN TUNNELL>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FLY-OVER WITH SOME PRETTY SPECTACULAR PLANES....

TONI GUINYARD>> AND THAT'S JUST AN OBSERVANCE OF VETERAN'S DAY. BEN TUNNELL IS A MEMBER OF THE L.A. ROTARY. THE GROUP SIGNED A SIX-YEAR CONTRACT TO HOLD ITS WEEKLY MEETINGS AT THE CATHEDRAL CONFERENCE CENTER. IT ALSO HAS PLANS FOR THE PLAZA.

BEN TUNNELL>> THE WESTWOOD ROTARY IS GOING TO BE BRINGING THE UCLA BAND AND THE CHEERLEADERS DOWN HERE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLAYING IN THE PLAZA. THEY'LL BE JUMPING UP AND DOWN DOING CHEERS. WE'LL HAVE AN HONOR GUARD PROCESSION WITH A DRUM MAJOR AT THE FRONT. I LIKE THIS IDEA OF STARTING IN THE PLAZA AND MOVING INTO THE CONFERENCE CENTER.

PEGGY KELLEY>> GOOD MORNING, THIS IS PEGGY. MAY I HELP YOU?

TONI GUINYARD>> PEGGY KELLEY IS DIRECTOR OF HOSPITALITY AND MARKETING FOR THE CATHEDRAL. SHE AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ANASTASIA PALMER, GAUGE THE INTEREST IN THE CATHEDRAL BY THE NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS THEY RECEIVE. ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR TOURS, MEETINGS AND EVENTS?

PEGGY KELLEY>> ACI, AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE.

ANASTASIA PALMER>> ARTS GROUPS AND MUSEUM AFFILIATE GROUPS, GARDENING CLUBS, LADIES CLUBS.

PEGGY KELLEY>> FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, MASSES AS WELL AS DINNERS AND LUNCHES.

ANASTASIA PALMER>> ARCHITECTURE GROUPS, BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS, THE PARISH GROUPS, THE PRAYER GROUPS THAT WANT TO COME AS A GROUP AND EXPERIENCE THAT TOGETHER.

PEGGY KELLEY>> AIA, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE, HAVE SEVERAL TOURS THAT ARE HERE.

ANASTASIA PALMER>> THE OUTPOURING FOR INTEREST IN THE CATHEDRAL AND VISITING THE CATHEDRAL HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS TO THE POINT THAT, FROM THE TIME WE GET HERE UNTIL THE TIME WE LEAVE, THE INQUIRY CALLS FOR TOURS JUST DON'T STOP.

TONI GUINYARD>> ONE INDICATION THAT PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS IS THAT THE CATHEDRAL IS BOOKED SOLID FOR TOURS FOR THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. BUT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE CONVINCING THE PEOPLE OF LOS ANGELES THAT THIS CATHEDRAL IS THEIR OWN. THEY'RE HOPING IT WILL DRAW MORE PEOPLE TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

RICO MELTON>> I THINK, INITIALLY, YEAH. BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST OF, WOW, THIS IS NEW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? AFTER THAT WEARS OFF, WE'LL SEE. I'M NOT SURE. I MEAN, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE AT WORK AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GO AND PRAY (LAUGHTER) AND GO BACK TO WORK.

PEGGY KELLEY>> MANY PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED THE SITE BE BUILT OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS AND WHAT THEY'VE SEEN IS ONLY FROM THE OUTSIDE. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REALLY FEEL A PART OF IT, WE NEED TO TAKE THEM INSIDE AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.

TOD TAMBERG>> WE'RE HOPING NOW, WITH THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN, WITH THE CATHEDRAL NOW COMING OPEN, WITH DISNEY HALL OPENING UP, THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE WHO COME HERE JUST TO MAYBE SEE THE CATHEDRAL TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CHINATOWN JUST DOWN THE STREET OR OLVERA STREET OR CENTRAL MARKETPLACE. THERE'S MOCA. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO DISCOVER DOWNTOWN AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE SORT OF A JUMPING OFF PLACE FOR SOME OF THAT.

TONI GUINYARD>> BUT EVEN THAT MAY NOT BE AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS.

KATHLEEN BLACKBURN>> LIVING DOWN IN ORANGE COUNTY, WE VERY SELDOM COME UP HERE ANYMORE. I USED TO LIVE UP HERE IN PASADENA, BUT THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTED, BUT NOT TODAY.

TONI GUINYARD>> NOT SPECIAL ENOUGH TO MAKE ANOTHER DRIVE UP TO SEE?

KATHLEEN BLACKBURN>> NO, NO.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE BIGGEST ATTRACTION AT THE CATHEDRAL COMPLEX IS THE CATHEDRAL. ITS APPEARANCE. LOVE IT OR HATE IT, PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.

NICHOLAI OUROUSSOFF>> PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT REACTIONS TO THIS BUILDING. I DON'T THINK OF IT AS INTIMIDATING. I THINK IT'S A GRAND SPACE. DISNEY HALL, THE CATHEDRAL, THE GETTY CENTER, ALL OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE STARTING TO GIVE THE CITY A CIVIC COMPONENT AND A SENSE OF KIND OF UNITY THAT IT'S NEVER HAD BEFORE. ARCHITECTURE HAS PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THAT.

ROBERT PASCALE>> I MEAN, THE ARCHITECTURE LOOKS AMAZING. I SAW THE MODELS OF IT. I SAW SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF IT RECENTLY. IT JUST LOOKS AMAZING. I THINK LOS ANGELES DEFINITELY NEEDS THAT AND I THINK THAT LOS ANGELES IS AN AREA WHERE YOU CAN EXPERIMENT WITH ARCHITECTURE, WITH SPACE AND WITH LIGHT.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS IS NO EXPERIMENT AND IT'S NO LONGER JUST PLANS ON A DRAWING BOARD. IT HAS OPENED ITS DOORS AS THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES SKYLINE, A CHURCH, PLAZA AND CONFERENCE CENTER THAT THE L.A. ARCHDIOCESE HOPES WILL BE EMBRACED BY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME. FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, I'M TONI GUINYARD.

JESS>> THE ARCHDIOCESE SET THE FINAL COST OF THE CATHEDRAL AT MORE THAN $189 MILLION DOLLARS AND, CONTRARY TO SOME REPORTS THAT THE CHURCH IS STILL SEARCHING FOR MONEY, CARDINAL MAHONY SAYS THE COMPLEX HAS BEEN FULLY FUNDED BY CASH RECEIPTS AND PLEDGES.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, EVIDENCE THAT COULD CONVICT A RAPIST IS THROWN OUT TOO EARLY. WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE LAPD CRIME LAB?

>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE IN RAPE CASES BECAUSE YOU COULD GET A MATCH. I MEAN, YOU COULD ALWAYS FIND WHO THE RAPIST IS AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY SOMETIMES TO GET A CONVICTION.

JESS>> L.A.'S NEW CATHEDRAL OFFERED A RARE AND CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY FOR SPANISH ARCHITECT, JOSE RAFAEL MONEO, BUT FOR NINE ARTISTS CHOSEN TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR WORK. YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT NOT ONE OF THEM WAS REQUIRED TO BE A CATHOLIC OR EVEN RELIGIOUS.

VAL>> THE DOORS, FOUNTAINS, TAPESTRIES, LANDSCAPING STATUES, ALL WERE CREATED BY ARTISTS WHO SURVIVED INTENSE COMPETITION. MONSIGNOR KEVIN KOSTELNIK GAVE US A TOUR OF A FEW OF THESE INSPIRED WORKS.

MONSIGNOR KEVIN KOSTELNIK>> IF YOU NOTICE, THE CATHEDRAL IS SET HERE ON THE HILL. IT'S ON THE TOP OF A HILL OVERLOOKING THE 101 FREEWAY AND THE CATHEDRAL IS MEANT TO BE A STATEMENT NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO PASS BY ON THE FREEWAY, BUT FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS THE SPIRITUAL CENTER OF OUR CITY. WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WITH THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE AS IT WAS DESIGNED BY OUR ARCHITECT, JOSE RAFAEL MONEO FROM MADRID, WAS BUILD A CHURCH THAT NOT ONLY WAS PART OF THE DOWNTOWN SETTING, BUT ALSO AN ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENT.

THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE ART BECOME A FOCUS AND A POINT OF INSPIRATION FOR PEOPLE SO THAT, WHEN PEOPLE COME IN, THEY NOT ONLY ARE MOVED BY ART AND ARCHITECTURE, BUT HOPEFULLY -- I THINK VERY OFTEN IN OUR LIVES, WE'RE TROUBLED BECAUSE WE LACK ANY SENSE OF BEAUTY. GOD IS DEFINED AS BEAUTY, SO WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE EXPRESSIONS OF GOD VERY COMMONPLACE IN THIS CATHEDRAL THROUGH VERY SIMPLE ART FORMS AND THROUGH ELEMENTS OF THE EARTH THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED AS ART FORMS TO EXPRESS AND MANIFEST GOD IN SOME WAY.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS THAT THIS CATHEDRAL WOULD NOT JUST MODEL SOME BUILDING OF THE PAST. IT'S A BUILDING, AGAIN, FOR NOT ONLY TODAY BUT ALSO FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO LAST FIVE HUNDRED YEARS. I THINK THE COLOR IS MAGNIFICENT COMPARED TO SOME OF THE EARLIER CATHEDRALS THAT WERE BUILT IN GRAY STONE. ONE OF THE WONDERFUL FEATURES OF THIS BUILDING WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A COLOR THAT WAS VERY REMINISCENT OF THE CALIFORNIA MISSIONS.

AGAIN, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO INCORPORATE THE BUILDING INTO THE ENTIRE SENSE OF THIS COMPLEX. THERE ARE VERY FEW CATHEDRALS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAVE A MAGNIFICENT TWO AND A HALF ACRE PLAZA AS A GATHERING SPACE. WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY ARE MEANT TO MAKE A PILGRIMAGE. THEY ARE MEANT TO MAKE A JOURNEY, AND WE'LL SEE THAT AS WE GO INTO THE CATHEDRAL ITSELF.

THESE ARE THE GREAT BRONZE DOORS DESIGNED BY ROBERT GRAHAM. ROBERT GRAHAM IS AN INTERNATIONAL RENOWNED BRONZE ARTIST. THESE DOORS HAVE BEEN ALMOST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING. THEY ARE THIRTY BY THIRTY FEET, THEY WEIGH TWENTY-FIVE TONS, AND THEY OPEN ON AN HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THERE ARE VARIOUS IMAGES ON THE DOORS OF OUR LADY AS SHE WAS BROUGHT TO THE NEW WORLD BY VARIOUS IMMIGRANT GROUPS.

THE IMAGE OF OUR LADY THAT IS ABOVE IS A NEW IMAGE THAT ROBERT GRAHAM HAS DESIGNED. IF YOU NOTICE VERY CLOSELY, SHE HAS VARIOUS FEATURES OF ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL CULTURAL GROUPS HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SHE'S NOT IN A VEIL, SHE'S NOT IN CROWN JEWELS. THE HEART OF MARY AS THE MOTHER OF GOD REALLY COMES FROM A SPIRIT FROM WITHIN, SO THAT IS HOW SHE IS PLACED ABOVE THESE DOORS WITH THE OPEN ARMS WELCOMING EVERYBODY TO THEIR CATHEDRAL.

AS WE STAND WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL, ONE OF THE GREAT FEATURES YOU NOTICE IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF NATURAL LIGHT THAT POURS INTO THIS BUILDING AND THAT IS THE SENSE OF LIGHT THAT WE CELEBRATE HERE. WE LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE, IN OUR TRADITION, WE CAN SAY THAT GOD IS LIGHT. THAT'S VERY SCRIPTURAL, SO WE WANTED A CATHEDRAL THAT WAS FILLED WITH LIGHT.

ALMOST NINETY PERCENT OF OUR ARTISTS WERE ALL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAN. WE HAVE GREAT ARTISTS HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND, WHILE WE HAD ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD SEND US THEIR PORTFOLIOS, THE ART COMMITTEE HEADED BY FATHER RICHARD VOSCO FROM ALBANY, NEW YORK, WHO IS A GREAT ARTIST AND LITURGIST, WE ENDED UP WITH NINETY PERCENT ALL DOING WORKS OF ART FOR THIS CATHEDRAL AND THEY LIVE LOCALLY. ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS WAS THAT EACH OF THE ARTISTS HAD TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE ARCHITECT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE WOULD BLEND TOGETHER AND THERE WOULD BE A HARMONY CREATED BETWEEN ART AND ARCHITECTURE IN THIS BUILDING.

THE ANGELS THAT YOU SEE ON THE WALLS WERE DESIGNED BY MAX DE MOSS OF HEMET. HE ALSO DESIGNED THE TABERNACLE IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL. EACH OF THE ANGELS IS ALIVE. THEY'RE VERY ANIMATED AND, IF YOU GET CLOSE-UP FEATURES OF THEIR FACES, YOU WILL SEE THAT EACH ANGEL IS DIFFERENT. THE CARDINAL'S CATHEDRA WAS DESIGNED BY JEFFERSON TORTERELLI AND IT INCLUDES WOODS FROM ALL FIVE CONTINENTS REPRESENTING ALL OF THE CULTURAL GROUPS WHO ARE HERE IN LOS ANGELES.

THE ORGAN WAS DESIGNED BY DOBSON ORGAN COMPANY IN LAKE CITY, IOWA. THEY ACTUALLY USED SOME OF THE OLD ORGAN PIPES FROM ST. VIBIANAS. I BELIEVE IT WAS A 1923 ORGAN, SO WE USED MANY OF THOSE PIPES AND THEN SOME OF THE LARGEST PIPES HAD TO BE DESIGNED BY DOBSON AND ALSO BY A COMPANY IN GERMANY. IT NOW HAS 6,019 PIPES.

THE TAPESTRIES DESIGNED BY JOHN NAVA WERE HIS INSPIRATION TO CREATE IMAGES ON THE WALLS IN A TEXTILE FORM. THE THEOLOGY BEHIND THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS IS THAT WE HAVE 125 OF THE BLESSED AND THE HOLY MEN AND WOMEN, THE SAINTS OF THE CHURCH. THESE ARE THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS TAPESTRIES, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF RELIGIOUS TAPESTRIES IN THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE ONE IN THE BAPTISTERY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

THE TAPESTRY ON THE BACK WALL IS VERY MUTED AND THE INSTRUCTION ACTUALLY GIVEN TO JOHN NAVA WAS TO CREATE A TAPESTRY THAT WAS REMINISCENT OF THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS, THE CHURCH HERE AND NOW. IT REPRESENTS LOS ANGELES AS THE PLACE WHERE GOD WILL DWELL AMONG MORTALS HERE ON EARTH.

THE BASIC THEME IS ONE OF WELCOME, THAT EVERYBODY WOULD BE WELCOME HERE. JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE DOORS HERE IS THE CORNERSTONE AND IT SAYS "MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLES". EVERY SUNDAY, THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES CELEBRATES THE EUCHARIST IN FORTY-TWO LANGUAGES. THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE THAT OCCURS. SO WITH ALL OF OUR ARTISTS AND WITH OUR ARCHITECT, WE REALLY HAVE CONSTANTLY REMINDED THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MULTI-CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT WE WILL CELEBRATE HERE EVERY SUNDAY.

JESS>> THE CATHEDRAL IS OPEN FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS WHO WANT TO SEE THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE. AS WE NOTED EARLIER, FORMAL TOURS ARE BOOKED THROUGH OCTOBER, BUT INDIVIDUAL VISITORS CAN SIMPLY WALK IN. HOURS ARE LIMITED THIS WEEK, BUT STARTING SUNDAY, THE CATHEDRAL WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM 6:30 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 7:00 IN THE EVENING.

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4401 SUNSET BLVD.
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JESS>> THE CATHEDRAL'S OPENING IS AN OCCASION FOR MUCH PAGEANTRY AND CELEBRATION, BUT IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY, YOU JUST MIGHT HEAR ONE OR TWO DISPARAGING WORDS. HERE'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> LOS ANGELES'S NEW CATHEDRAL IS A STUDY IN CONTRADICTIONS. FROM THE INSIDE, WHICH I HAVEN'T YET SEEN, IT IS SAID TO LOOK GLORIOUS, A CONTEMPLATE OF SPACE BATHED IN A LIGHT OF 27,000 SQUARE FEET OF ALABASTER WINDOWS. BUT FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE ONLY VANTAGE POINT THAT MORE THAN NINETY PERCENT OF ANGELENOS WILL EVER HAVE, IT LOOKS LIKE JUST ONE MORE ANONYMOUS PIECE OF CIVIC ARCHITECTURE IN A STYLE I CALL "SUNBELT STALINIST". IN SHORT, LIKE A PRISON. ONE HALF EXPECTS TO SEE THE CAMPANILE NOT WITH A CHURCH BELL, BUT A FLOODLIGHT. AS AN L.A. TIMES READER SAID, IT HAS EVERYTHING BUT ARMED GUARDS ON CATWALKS.

THERE ARE OTHER CONTRADICTIONS AS WELL. IT IS A $200 MILLION DOLLAR MONUMENT BUILT LARGELY ON PRIVATE DONATIONS FROM PLATINUM CARD GIVERS LIKE RUPERT MURDOCH, BETSY BLOOMINGDALE, ROY DISNEY AND RICHARD RIORDAN. IT IS A PROJECT THAT WENT FORWARD THROUGH AN ECONOMY THAT HIT THE CHURCH AS IT HAS EVERY ONE ELSE, CUTTING MINISTRY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, A CHURCH THAT STILL FACES THE PROSPECT OF EXPENSIVE SETTLEMENTS OF SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS.

IT IS A CATHEDRAL BUILT IN A CITY OVERFLOWING WITH THE POOR BY A MAN WHO'S BEEN OUTSPOKEN IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SERVICES FOR THE NEEDY, CARDINAL ROGER MAHONY. HENCE THE CATHEDRAL'S NICKNAME OF "TAJ MAHONY". ANOTHER CONTRADICTION: L.A. HAD A CATHEDRAL JUST A FEW BLOCKS DISTANT, BUT A WORLD AWAY FROM THE GLITTERING MUSIC CENTER HILLTOP. ST. VIBIANA STANDS ON SKID ROW. WHEN IT WAS DEDICATED NEARLY 150 YEARS AGO, L.A. WAS AN OBSCURE WESTERN OUTPOST, SO IT GOT AN OBSCURE SAINT, VIBIANA, ONE OF THOUSANDS WHOSE BONES WERE FOUND IN THE ROMAN CATACOMBS.

NOW THAT L.A. IS THE NATION'S MOST POPULACE CATHOLIC DIOCESE, IT GETS NOT ANOTHER UNKNOWN SAINT FOR ITS NEW CATHEDRAL, BUT THE HEADLINER, THE QUEEN OF ANGELS HERSELF. PARISHIONERS HAD ALREADY DESERTED ST. VIBIANAS AS BEING A SMALL SPACE IN A DANGEROUS AND SMELLY PLACE. THE 1994 EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED ST VIBIANAS AND OFFERED MAHONY, WELL, A HEAVEN-SENT EXCUSE FOR BOARDING IT UP AND BUILDING A NEW CATHEDRAL.

OH, AND ONE MORE CONTRADICTION: THE NEW CATHEDRAL WAS DELIBERATELY BUILT ONE FOOT LONGER THAN ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL IN NEW YORK, BUT IT HAS A LOT FURTHER THAN ONE FOOT TO GO TO LEAVE AN EQUALLY BIG FOOTPRINT ON THE CITY'S LANDSCAPE.

VAL>> ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING FEATURES OF THE CATHEDRAL IS HANGING ON ITS WALLS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, 135 FIGURES WOVEN INTO TWENTY-FOOT-HIGH TAPESTRIES.

JESS>> AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE MANY FACES IN THOSE TAPESTRIES, YOU'LL NOTICE THEY MAY LOOK A LOT LIKE SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, AND FOR GOOD REASON. MANY OF THE SAINTS' FACES WERE MODELED AFTER REAL PEOPLE. SO HOW DOES A PRESENT-DAY ANGELENO GET TO BE A SAINT? WE WENT TO THE WORKSHOP OF ARTIST, JOHN NAVA, TO FIND OUT.

DAVID TLAPEK>> AT HIS STUDIO IN OJAI, CALIFORNIA, ARTIST JOHN NAVA IS IMMERSED IN A PROJECT UNLIKE ANY HE'S EVER UNDERTAKEN. MASSIVE IN SCOPE AND RICH IN CONTENT, IT WILL CONSUME MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF HIS LIFE AND WILL CERTAINLY BE AMONG THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WORK OF HIS CAREER. JOHN HAS BUILT A CONSIDERABLE REPUTATION AS BOTH PAINTER AND DRAFTSMAN. HIS WORK IS PART OF MANY PRIVATE AND PUBLIC COLLECTIONS, INCLUDING THE SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL GALLERY OF AMERICAN ART.

NOW JOHN FINDS HIMSELF PIONEERING NEW ARTISTIC TERRITORY AS HE OVERSEES A VAST MULTI-MEDIA PROJECT OF HISTORIC PROPORTION. IN 1999, JOHN WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES TO CREATE A SERIES OF TAPESTRIES DEPICTING 133 CATHOLIC SAINTS.

JOHN NAVA>> I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER MODERN TAPESTRY CYCLES IN A SACRED BUILDING LIKE THIS THAT ARE THIS SIZE. IT'S BIG. IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES. THE BUILDING IS A BIG BUILDING. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA, SO IT'S AN IMMENSE BUILDING. THESE TAPESTRIES RANGE -- I'M DOING A GROUP OF TAPESTRIES THAT RANGE IN SIZE FROM EIGHTEEN FEET TO ABOUT FORTY-FIVE IN HEIGHT AND THEY'RE HUNG LIKE PARALLEL BANNERS GOING DOWN THE ROPE, BUT THEY COVER THE ENTIRE WALL ON EACH SIDE OF THE NAVE, SO IT'S A LOT OF ACREAGE OF WEAVING AND, YOU KNOW, OVER 130 FIGURES.

OBVIOUSLY, THE IDEA OF THE COMMUNITY OF SAINTS IS TO MIRROR THE CONGREGANTS, THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE ARCHDIOCESE. WHEN THEY GO TO THE SEAT OF THEIR ARCHDIOCESE, WHICH IS THE CATHEDRAL, THEY HAVE TO SORT OF BE REPRESENTED. SO PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS -- WHICH I DIDN'T DO PERSONALLY -- BUT PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS WAS TO TRY TO PAY AS MUCH ATTENTION AS THEY COULD TO THAT ISSUE. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SAINTS FROM EVERY PERIOD IN HISTORY AND EVERY PART OF THE GLOBE TO CORRESPOND TO THE MAKEUP OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES.

THE WAY THE DESIGNS ARE DONE IS THAT EVERYTHING IS SEEN AT EYE LEVEL. SO I GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND I SHOOT THE FEET AT EYE LEVEL AND I SHOOT THE FIGURE FROM TWO DIFFERENT, LIKE ABOUT KNEE LEVEL AND ELBOW LEVEL. THEN I SHOOT THE HEAD AT EYE LEVEL. SO EVERYTHING LAYS OUT PRETTY FLAT TO THE WALL AND THIS IS THE WAY EGYPTIAN ART WAS DONE. EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT SILHOUETTES, LIKE AN ARCHITECTURAL ELEVATION.

THE REASON I DID THAT WAS BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO LAY ON THE WALL. IF YOU SHOT ONE SHOT LIKE WITH A FIFTY-MILLIMETER LENS OR SOMETHING AND YOU SHOT THE WHOLE FIGURE, YOU'D BE LOOKING DOWN AT THE FEET AND SLIGHTLY UP AT THE HEAD AND IT BEGINS TO IMPLY A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE. PART OF THE IDEA OF THIS DESIGN IS TO LAY VERY FLAT ON THE WALL, SO I'M TRYING TO BREAK THE THREE-DIMENSIONALITY OF IT A LITTLE BIT.

FATHER RICHARD VOSKO>> HE DESCRIBED FOR US IN A CLEVER WAY HOW HE PROPOSED TO TAKE THESE PORTRAITS AND PHOTOGRAPH THEM DIGITALLY, MANIPULATE THESE IMAGES ON HIS COMPUTER, TO STORE THEM ON A DISK, TO WRITE A PROGRAM SO THAT A LOOM COULD ACTUALLY WEAVE THESE THINGS. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AN INCREDIBLE AND FASCINATING INTERVIEW PROCESS. WE LEFT THAT PARTICULAR ROOM SAYING THAT THERE'S REALLY NONE OTHER THAN JOHN, REALLY, IN ORDER TO CARRY THIS OUT.

JOHN NAVA>> THE DEMANDS OF THE WEAVING PROCESS REQUIRED THAT I CHANGE THE WAY I PAINT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAINT IN A WAY THAT YOU KNOW IS GOING TO BE SCANNED AND EVENTUALLY REDUCED TO SIXTEEN COLORS OF FIBER. SO I HAVE THIS VERY SMALL PRIMITIVE LIMITED PALETTE AND I HAVE TO PUT THE PAINT ON RELATIVELY CRUDELY AND I HAVE TO DO IT FAST. THESE ARE ALL EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF THE WAY (LAUGHTER) I USED TO WORK, BUT WHAT'S FANTASTIC IS THAT I'VE BEEN TOTALLY SEDUCED BY IT SO THAT NOW I LOVE WORKING THAT WAY. I LOVE THAT SURFACE. I LOVE THAT FINISH. I LOVE THAT LIMITED PALETTE. I LOVE THE WAY EVERYTHING GETS EXECUTED, SO IT'S CHANGED THE WAY I WORK.

YOU'RE BASICALLY WEAVING WITH SIXTEEN COLORS OF THREAD, SO YOU HAVE TO REDUCE WHAT ARE MILLIONS OF COLORS DOWN TO 250 COLORS AND IN A WAY THAT IS LEGIBLE. THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF TESTING AND THESE PIECES ARE THE RESULTS OF THAT TESTING. SO WHEN THE IMAGE HAS BEEN INDEXED AND FLATTENED, IT'S SENT -- I LITERALLY SEND IT ELECTRONICALLY TO BELGIUM AND IT'S SENT DIRECTLY TO A LOOM. IT'S EXACTLY LIKE SENDING A PIECE OF WORK TO YOUR PRINTER EXCEPT THAT, INSTEAD OF A PRINTER, IT'S A HUGE MACHINE THAT GENERATES THE TAPESTRY.

EACH ONE IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A SPECIFIC HISTORY, SO I WANTED THAT ASPECT, THE INDIVIDUAL HUMANITY AND REALITY OF THESE PEOPLE, TO BE VERY PRESENT. I JUST WANT TO HAVE THESE HEADS AND HANDS BE LIKE MUSICAL NOTES ON THIS WALL, MOVING DOWN THE WALL, AND EVERYBODY CAN JUST FIND SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN CONNECT. BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON IS THAT THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND THAT'S THE ASPECT OF IT THAT I WAS TRYING TO EMPHASIZE.

JESS>> JOINING IS NOW IS THE PRODUCER OF THE SEGMENT OF THE DOCUMENTARY YOU JUST SAW, DAVID TLAPEK.

VAL>> DAVID, WHAT WE JUST SAW IS JUST AN EXCERPT OF A MUCH LARGER PROJECT THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR HOW LONG?

DAVID TLAPEK>> ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW.

JESS>> AS LONG AS THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE TAPESTRIES (LAUGHTER).

DAVID TLAPEK>> ALMOST. NOT QUITE, BUT ALMOST. IT'S BEEN ABOUT A THREE-YEAR PROJECT FOR JOHN.

VAL>> AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET -- WHAT IS YOUR FINAL PRODUCT GOING TO BE?

DAVID TLAPEK>> WELL, I'M HOPING TO END UP WITH A DOCUMENTARY THAT'S ABOUT AN HOUR LONG AND GET THAT ON TELEVISION. I HOPE TO HAVE THE FILM FINISHED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AROUND THANKSGIVING OR CHRISTMAS TIME.

VAL>> NOW YOU GOT TO KNOW JOHN PRETTY WELL AND YOU SAW THE PROCESS. WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU ACTUALLY SAW THE TAPESTRIES IN THE CATHEDRAL?

DAVID TLAPEK>> WELL, NO ONE, INCLUDING THE ARTIST HIMSELF, KNEW HOW THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL UNTIL THEY WERE ACTUALLY UP. IT WAS A LOT OF CALCULATION TO MAKE IT RIGHT AND IT PAID OFF BECAUSE, WHEN THEY DID GO UP, THEY LOOKED WONDERFUL.

JESS>> EVERYBODY SEEMS TO AGREE. DAVID TLAPEK, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

DAVID TLAPEK>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW CATHEDRAL, YOU CAN VISIT THE WEBSITE.

VAL>> THE WEBSITE IS OLACATHEDRAL.ORG. MAYBE IT SHOULD BE .GOD (LAUGHTER). FOR TRANSCRIPTS OF OUR SHOWS OR STREAMING AUDIO OF RECENT PROGRAMS, GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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