Friday, July 15, 2005

Ave Maria Catholic University Under Fire

60-Foot Bleeding Jesus At New Church

LABELLE, FL. -- A story written by Don Browne for the Sunday Morning News and Southwest Florida Online website has been quoted in a story by writer Bill Berkowitz of Media Transparency.org. Berkowitz is critical of Domino
Pizza founder Tom Monaghan's plans to build a ultra conservative Catholic "Big Box Church" and private community at the Ave Maria University and townsite south of Immokalee.

Quoting from the Berkowitz story, "Pizza magnate is building homes in a Florida sanctuary for orthodox Catholics called Ave Maria, where there won't be any porn, condoms, or television smut.

In late March, at the first annual Boston Catholic Men's Conference held at Boston College High School, Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza who has become a major league conservative philanthropist, was feeling the spirit. He triumphantly told the enthusiastic crowd of more than 2,000 men (including over 80 priests) in attendance that construction of Ave Maria University -- the first Catholic university built in 40 years -- was moving forward.

According to published reports (by Don Browne of the Sunday Morning News), "the $240 million first phase of the campus plans to be centered around the 'Oratory of Ave Maria,' a 60,000 square-foot church with aluminum and glass arches, and will include the nation's largest crucifix in stained glass with a 60 foot high bleeding Jesus. Officials say the church would be the largest fixed-seating Catholic church in the nation, with room for 3,333 to 3,500 worshipers "

See the complete Berkowitz story at Big Box Church

The Southwest Florida Online article on Ave Maria University and Tom Monaghan is at Ave Maria University

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