Posted on 07/20/2007 11:16:24 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
Ave Maria, Florida - A brand new ultra-conservative Catholic University and town has been funded largely by Thomas S. Monaghan, the 70+ years old, founder of Domino's Pizza and former owner of the Detroit Tigers baseball team.
It is the country's first new so-called "true" Roman Catholic university in four decades. The new town "Ave Maria, Florida" opens July 21, 2007. A cornerstone ceremony was held on March 25, 2006.
According to reports, the town square includes one of the nation's largest Catholic churches and crucifix.
Monaghan says the $240 million first phase of the campus plans to be centered around the "Oratory of Ave Maria," a 60,000 square-foot church equipped with aluminum and glass arches.
The nearly 100 foot church will reportedly contain the nation's largest crucifix in stained glass with a 60 foot high bleeding Jesus. Officials say the church will be the largest fixed-seating Catholic church in the nation, with room for 3,333 to 3,500 parishioners.
The university campus has been constructed in the "prairie style" of simple lines made famous by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is said to include a gymnasium that will seat 2,500, a science, math and technology center, a library and a student activities center.
The school will not be associated with any church Diocese or church order but will claim to teach the "true Catholicism."
Bravo! IMO a landowner's duty is to enforce God's laws within his or her own property, and his or her last act as landowner should be to insure that whoever he passes the land onto is one who believes in doing likewise. In my experience, neighborhoods "go bad" when previous property owners sell out to the highest bidder, focusing more on their next home than being concerned about what they're allowing into the old neighborhood.
Whether Monaghan is doing this out of an entrepreneurial quest for profit, or out of a personal faith, matters not to me. The initial results are the same, and I applaud them. Now let's see what happens in ten years, after a portion of the original homeowners have moved on...
Makes me wish I were a college student again...but I hate humidity!
I'm not quite sure how that would work. As far as I understood, in order for a school to call itself Catholic, it must have the approval of the local bishop. In addition, it must follow the Mandatum put in place several years ago by the Vatican. I don't doubt that Monaghan is genuine, but I just don't see how he can operate completely independent of a diocese. Maybe that's not what that statement means though.
I applaud people like Mr Monaghan, but based on your remarks I wonder how you feel about a rich Muslim who is doing the same thing in his own perverted way..buying up whole blocks of dilapidated housing and moving in muslims...and taking over former RC Churches turning them into mosques.
I saw Katie Couric interview somebody about this university and the new town. I think it was back in her “Today Show” days. Anyway, Katie was concerned about a town where the Catholic Church is prominent, and that big numbers of Catholic people would live there, and would the town be incorporated with a city council, mayor, etc. And in that case, how would they guarantee civil rights in a diverse society if someone other than a devout Catholic moves to that town, etc, .etc. She even wondered if the cable TV system would be censored in that town.
Katie is concerned about important issues isn’t she.
In short, no one can "buy up" anything unless the existing landowners don't care who they sell to.
And if Christians don't like the Muslims becoming landbarons, then I suggest they get out their own wallets (like Mr Monaghan) and buy up those blocks of property first.
The Mormons used to be the 2nd largest landholder in FL. Look up Deseret Ranch
I had a friend from up north who used to say that the only good thing about humidity was that you didn't need to shovel it in the winter!
Oh I have no argument with any of what you say. Except that the Muzzies should be investigated.
It seems the Muzzies have more ambition in this respect than any Christians.
Very difficult to read about Catholicism in a secular newspaper - they seem to view AMU as a cult enterprise to begin with. For a better view, see:
Healy said it was too early on Friday to say how [Bishop] Dewane [then visiting campus] viewed AMU and its companion town. "I see no reason why he will not be very pleased with the university and what it brings to the diocese. We certainly are fully committed to being loyal to him and loyal to the church," Healy said.
What it means is that it is not under the direct auspices of the diocese. I’m Catholic, and the bishop certainly doesn’t know whether I’m alive or dead.
I certainly understand that Ave Maria will insist on its professors of Theology having Mandata.
Ok... that makes sense. Thanks
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