Dr. Robert H. Schuller, Former Crystal Cathedral leader, in ‘critical condition

Dr. Robert H. Schuller, Former Crystal Cathedral leader, in ‘critical condition,’ says his family
By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST and the ASSIST News Service
ORANGE COUNTY, CA (ANS – April 1, 2015) -- Dr. Robert H. Schuller, famed televangelist and founder of the Crystal Cathedral Ministries, is in critical condition in a Los Angeles-area nursing home and is not expected to make it through the week, family members said Tuesday (March 31, 2015).
This has been revealed in a story by Deepa Bharath, staff writer for the Orange County Register (http://www.ocregister.com).
Bharath said that according to his daughter-in-law, Donna Schuller, the reverend’s condition has been deteriorating since he had an exploratory procedure in January examining his digestive tract.
Donna Schuller, a regular contributor to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net ), said her father-in-law is not on life support and is breathing on his own, but is extremely weak because has not “eaten for several days.”
“He was talking normally a couple of months ago,” she said. “But since the procedure, he was whispering. And later, he could barely mouth words.”
He is asleep most of the time, but seems to be at peace, Donna Schuller said.
“He doesn’t seem to be in pain,” she said, choking up. “He’s had a wonderful life and he’ll pass gracefully.”
Donna Schuller said her husband, Dr. Robert A. Schuller, the son of Dr. Schuller, has a document detailing precisely how the older Schuller wants his memorial service to be held.
“He gave it to my husband 10 years ago,” she said. “Perfectionist that he is, I’m sure he has planned out and specified every little detail.”
Donna Schuller said passing during the holy Easter week would be a fitting exit for her father-in-law.
“He always did everything in a grand fashion,” she said. “It’s just like him.”
Dr. Robert. H. Schuller started the Garden Grove Community Church in 1955, renting the Orange Drive-In
Theatre and conducting services from a snack bar roof. As the congregation grew, the Protestant ministry began broadcasting its services through the “Hour of Power,” a syndicated TV program broadcast to millions of viewers worldwide.
In a separate story, the OC Register said that the Crystal Cathedral was dedicated in 1980. The cathedral and the grounds were sold in early 2012 for $57.5 million in bankruptcy-court proceedings to the Catholic Diocese of Orange. The facility has been renamed Christ Cathedral.
The ministry moved to St. Callistus Catholic Church about a mile away and is now called Shepherd's Grove. Schuller's grandson, Bobby Schuller, is now pastoring the church and is now the host of The Hour of Power TV telecast.
Although the name of the church is Shepherd's Grove, the congregation's corporate name continues to be Crystal Cathedral Ministries and continues to produce the “Hour of Power”
program.
Arvella Schuller, the wife of the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, who was said to be the force behind the church's iconic “Hour of Power” television program, died in February of 2014 at the UCI Medical Center after a brief illness. She was 84.
Photo caption: 1) Robert H. Schuller, seen here preaching at the Crystal Cathedral on Christmas
Eve, 1997. (Photo: Cindy Yamanaka, Staff Photographerm OC Register) 2) Robert A. Schuller and his wife, Donna
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