Posted on 02/27/2006 10:26:11 AM PST by annalex
Tom Monaghan, the founder of the Domino's Pizza chain, has stirred protests from civil rights activists by declaring that Ave Maria's pharmacies will not be allowed to sell condoms or birth control pills. The town's cable television network will carry no X-rated channels.
The town will be centred on a 30m tall oratory and the first Catholic university to be built in the US for 40 years.
The university's president, Nicholas J. Healy, has said future students should "help rebuild the city of God" in a country suffering from "catastrophic cultural collapse".
Monaghan, 68, sold his takeaway chain in 1998 for an estimated $1.5 billion.
A devout Catholic who has ploughed millions into religious projects - including radio stations, primary schools and a Catholic law faculty in Michigan - Monaghan has bought about 2000ha previously used by migrant farmers.
The land on the western edge of the Everglades swamp will eventually house up to 30,000 people, with 5000 students living on the university campus.
Florida officials have declared the project a development bonanza for a depressed area and Governor Jeb Bush attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the university earlier this month.
Civil rights activists and other watchdogs concerned about the separation of church and state are threatening lawsuits if Ave Maria attempts to enforce Catholic dogma - none of which has deterred Monaghan, who initially tried to build his new university in Michigan but could not get permission.
Asked recently about possible lawsuits in Florida, he replied: "That's great. That would be the best publicity we could get."
Monaghan was sent to a Catholic orphanage with his brother James after the death of their father on Christmas Eve 1941. After serving with the US Marines and later dropping out of university, he founded Domino's in 1960 with his brother, who sold back his share for a Volkswagen Beetle.
Monaghan then set about building what became America's second-largest pizza chain. He collected antique cars, bought a yacht and became the owner of the Detroit Tigers baseball team.
About 15 years ago he read Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. "That was a big turnaround," he said recently. "I decided to simplify my life. No more airplanes, no more yachts. It's been a big relief."
Sources close to the project said Monaghan was particularly disturbed by what he regards as the failure of Western civilisation to resist Islamic fundamentalism. In a speech to students last year Healy warned that Islam "no longer faces a religiously dynamic West".
From The Sunday Times
I have predicted this, that our "freedoms" combined with our licentiousness will lead to more and more communities, or even states, "gated" in one way or another.
You sound like you disapprove. I don't think it is bad. It is certainly the American Way, no? You cannot have political freedom unless you have robust local self-government.
I don't disapprove.
True. But the reaction indicates how far and deep the corruption is - and one can't blame that on Vatican Two. Think of it, the America I was born into is now illegal
*Monaghan can't do that. That will be done by the SCOTUS which we Catholic own. If'n'ya don't know the Rosary, if'n'ya ain't never been to Confession, if'n'ya think the Eucharist is symbolic, think about moving to Sweden...
I think as former Marines go, being one myself, this multi-milionaire has some sound ideas, but!
Reality bites us all sooner or later.
And with all those disposible funds, "somebody" is going to get greedy. More than likely the "somebody" may well be from within. In fact, as some folks put it, greed was what got Judas all fired up in the first place. And he, too, was an insider.
Still, I wish him and his luck!
Dennis
Hmmmmmm....
Gays are not a protected class in Florida. Only Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Orange counties prohibit discrimination on sexual orientation.
btt
"Why do I fear that we ordinary Catholic mortals will never be able to afford living there?"
This ordinary catholic has no desire to live on the western edge of the Everglades with the alligators and growing population of Burmese Pythons.
I'm rather resentful that "THAT America" is lost forever. I blame alot of people for it too -- For forcing me to ride this stinking shit train with the rest of my generation.
He was fired from the board for not going along with the suggested move of the Law school to Florida.
Watch and see, the Law School will be in FL.
So, you don't believe any of the "stories" from the "disgruntled former employees?"
I found it odd that the stories were so similar and from so many different people. There must be some truth to these stories.
My family and I drove through there too when we visited Disney World. We had no idea that it was associated with Disney, but we also thought it was very creepy. Row upon row of pristine houses with hardly a living person around. It was like in that old episode of The Twilight Zone when giant aliens kidnapped a man and woman and planted them in a fake town.
I know that. It is a bit obvious, I think.
Isn't it a bit odd how the University "took" the accreditation from the college in MI and transfered it to the university in FL. They did this so the new students couild get federal funded student loans. When the feds found out, Monaghan had to pay the feds back about $500,000 in student loans.
I really like that Tom Monaghan has begun a university that is orthodox Catholic. I only wish he'd be careful how he goes about it. It really gives fuel to those who do not like the orthodox Catholic position.
Notwithstanding gave a good account of what was going on at Ave Maria Law because HE WAS THERE! The Law School might end up in FL, I don't know. Right now, they have the use of a Law Library at another school in the area. Until they amass their own volumes, I doubt they'll give up that unique opportunity for their students.
Ave Maria Univ. had to get it's own accreditation, and right now is under pre-accreditation from an agency for Liberal Arts Universities. Apparently, the lack of full accreditation has not been a problem for its graduates. All of them either got jobs, or were accepted into the Graduate programs they wanted. One of last year's graduates is working for my b-i-l, who is the Pastor of a parish in MS.
Actually, while we do have the benefit of using the UofM law library in the same town, Ave has its own excellent library - with the number of volumes, etc, being more than adequate for it to be accredited.
That's great about the Law Library. I was just remembering that when the school got started y'all were using the other school's resources.
That's exactly what it was like.
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