Is the cathedra, the bishop’s chair, comfortable?
Former Oakland Bishop Allen Vigneron once said that it is very comfortable. We take his word for it, since the bishop is the only one who can sit in it. Where did the money to build the cathedral come from? The cathedral was built through the generosity and encouragement of wonderful benefactors. Their generosity was such that no money earmarked for caring for the poor, and their contributions and donations to causes for the poor, was diminished in any way. The total construction cost for the entire cathedral complex is $175 million. Approximately $60 million still needs to be raised to cover these costs. “When a request for volunteer docents was posted in our church bulletin, I was moved to volunteer,” said Wnuk, a member of St. Joan of Arc Parish in San Ramon. “I couldn’t think of a better way to learn about the unusual construction that I had been witnessing from the air.” He is one of 55 specially trained volunteers who walk visitors through the year-old cathedral, pointing out the
