Reclaiming Thanksgiving

In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt declared that Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the second-to-last Thursday of November, rather than on the traditional date, which was the last Thursday of November. Disrupting such a long-standing tradition was highly controversial, so why did FDR do it? He wanted to add a week to the Christmas shopping season!

In this historical anecdote, we find a sad truth, which is that as far back as 1939, adding a week to the Christmas shopping season was already considered by many Americans, including the President, to be a good reason to move our traditional time of gratitude. But at least in 1939, Thanksgiving was an important enough part of our culture that Americans would not turn their attention to their Christmas shopping until Thanksgiving had passed. Until then, Thanksgiving, and not Christmas, was the focus.

Today, the secular Christmas season starts on November 1, if not earlier. Christmas is a wonderful holiday and I do not mean in any way to disparage Christmas shopping that is done in the right spirit. But I lament our loss of Thanksgiving. By turning our attention so early to jingle bells and Santa Claus, we lose sight of the magnificent day of gratitude to the Almighty that we as Americans can claim as our heritage.

Those of us who have attended Ave Maria have a particular stake in Thanksgiving. First, Ave Maria has given us so much for which to be thankful. Second, we have received an education focused on Him to Whom gratitude is to be given on Thanksgiving day. Let us never forget our gratitude! Let us never forget Thanksgiving!

Father Orsi Hits It Out of the Park

Those who know Father Michael Orsi appreciate his candor and no non-sense approach - and know of his love for Ave Maria School of Law, especially the students. His column about the school's move to Florida is a homerun - and it is a good sketch of the history of recent events. These are some of the highlights and should be bookmarked as a primer of the situation:

1. Rage makes it impossible to see the truth. The emotions of some here to fore supporters of the law school are very much like those of the old Brooklyn crowd. The attacks on Mr. Thomas S. Monaghan, the school's founder and principal benefactor, are reminiscent of those leveled at Walter O'Malley. But some pieces in newspapers, as well as on certain blogs - a platform of personal expression that didn't exist in 1957 - have far surpassed the vitriol of the old Brooklyn Eagle, the borough's newspaper.
2. AMSOL is located in Ann Arbor, Mich., at a lovely facility practically across the street from the north campus of the University of Michigan. U of M has a very highly rated and much bigger law school. So at best, AMSOL would always be "that other law school in town."
3. The original plan for AMSOL called for it to be moved, along with the Ave Maria College (then operating in the nearby town of Ypsilanti), to Domino's Farms, the prestigious Ann Arbor office park that houses the world headquarters of Domino's Pizza, which Monaghan had founded. Domino's Farms is a gorgeous Frank Lloyd Wright-style complex surrounded by rolling fields of natural flora and fauna. Eventually, both AMSOL and Ave Maria College were to be part of Ave Maria University.
4. However, integrating an educational campus into a property designated for office use required approval by Ann Arbor Township authorities. The Zoning Board rejected the proposal, claiming that it would negatively affect township revenues by converting taxable business property to tax-exempt educational use. (There was suspicion at the time that other factors might have been at work in this decision. Tom Monaghan, long known locally for his conservative views, had clashed many times with the powers-that-be in liberal Ann Arbor, and a Monaghan-sponsored university would only have given him a bigger megaphone to comment on local affairs.)
5. Monaghan began to explore alternative locations, and during a trip to Naples, Fla., he received an offer of free land if the university would become the cornerstone of a proposed development. The idea was to design a modern university town with the flavor of a medieval European village. Florida politicians, the local bench and bar (legal community), as well as a considerable number of area people welcomed the idea. A partnership was established between Monaghan and the Barron Collier Companies, the biggest developer in Southwest Florida, to build the school facilities, along with housing, a shopping center, golf courses - in short, a whole new town: Ave Maria, Fla.
6. A feasibility study was completed, and - like Brooklyn and L.A. in 1955 - the demographic trend of Michigan contrasted sharply with what the Naples area had to offer. The West Coast of Florida has a growing population, where Michigan is experiencing a net loss. In addition, the resources of Naples' (extremely affluent) population bode better for the long-term financial viability of AMSOL than the potential giving base in the Ann Arbor area. On top of that, there is no other law school even remotely close by. After due diligence was observed, a decision was reached by the board to relocate, with the opening of the new Florida facility set for fall of 2009.
7. The new location will provide a very strong foundation for the law school's future. The mission of the School of Law will remain the same, yet the new location will help to ensure that the School of Law will be able to grow and prosper.
8. Best of all, the university and law school would be the beneficiaries of money generated from the sale of single-family houses, townhomes, and condos, which in time, would put AMU and AMSOL among the best-endowed Catholic schools in the country.
9. The warm welcome and rich source of potential funding made the move very attractive to the law school - particularly so, since up to this point, most of the school's expenses have been paid by the Ave Maria Foundation, the organization created by Monaghan to disperse funds derived from the 1998 sale of Domino's Pizza. Building a strong institutional support base normally takes many years, since the alumni of a new school can't be counted on for significant gifts until their careers have matured. Relocating to Florida and participating in the town development plan would be a major financial leap for AMSOL, even if with a lag in other giving.
10. Ave Maria School of Law has recently experienced a good deal of internal controversy. And it must be acknowledged that not all the questions being debated among faculty, students and alumni are related to the Florida move. However - to use a legal concept - "but for" the move, I doubt that most of these other issues would have become as problematic and disputatious as they are. Certainly, we did not see the current level of acrimony when a brand new AMSOL was dazzling the legal profession with high bar-passage rates and receiving ABA accreditation in record time.
11. [I]t takes money to have the kind of excellence that Ave Maria School of Law is committed to. AMSOL's Board of Governors had to make a choice for the long-term good of the school.

Catholic Musican Matt Maher

It is sometime thought in certain Catholic circles that the only music that can lift the soul must have been written long ago, forgetting the battles fought in yesteryear over the introduction of pagan influenced latin chants, secular musical instruments such as the organ, and the like.

This past summer I took my son to Stuebenville Atlanta. For those who don't know, Franciscan University of Steubenville youth conferences now serve about 40,000 young people each year. You have not experienced all that it is of Christ and his church until you have praised him in the Blessed Sacrament with 3,000 young people singing his praises led by someone to whom God has given the gift of music as a gift to us in these times. His songs have already been nominated for or won Grammy Awards. I have seen the next generation of the Church, and Matt Maher is one of those helping raise them up (and he introduced me to the music of Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and Hillsong).

So for those who love contemporary music and our Lord, may I suggest checking out Matt and his band here http://www.mattmahermusic.com/mattmahermusic/welcome_.html or on iTunes.

New Guide to Catholic Colleges: Ave Maria University in the Top 10%

Its no secret: many (most?) institutions of higher education boasting a Catholic name and Catholic provenance are places where the official Catechism would be overtly mocked by administrators, faculty and students - if you could even find a copy on campus.

The Cardinal Newman Society has published a guide to 21 colleges that buck this trend, and Ave Maria University has made it onto this list of schools most faithful to a Catholic identity:

The culmination of two years of research and interviews, the unique Newman Guide recommends 21 Catholic colleges and universities which most faithfully live their Catholic identity and provide a quality undergraduate education. Each college profile examines the school's history, governance, Catholic identity, curriculum, student life and community.

Those recommended represent the top 10 percent of Catholic colleges in the U.S. based on Catholic identity and cover a wide range of institutions in terms of history, size, location and academic focus.

U.S. Expert in Catholic Social Teaching Cuts Through the Putrid Smoke and Clears the Air

Templeton laureate Michael Novak has penned a rather fine article in National Review Online about Ave Maria School of Law. This excerpt captures the clarity and essence of the piece:

Sometimes, though, a violation of fairness seems so flagrant that one feels a duty to ask all contenders to step back, slowly examine the evidence on all sides, hear the best arguments from each, and then try to go forward in fairness and justice. Law professors, above all, should wish to hear both sides of a case. So should we all.

Ambassador Novak should be applauded, so we'll do so here.

Rise of the New Catholic Colleges

BY TIM DRAKE

REGISTER SENIOR WRITER

September 23-29, 2007 Issue


The National Catholic Register has a rather fine article on the good done by a handful of Catholic colleges and universities. Check it by clicking on the headline above.

Here is an excerpt: "Pope John Paul II said that the only reason a Catholic institution exists is to evangelize. I would have a tough time looking at the vast majority of Catholic universities and saying that their primary goal is evangelization.”

AMSL: Oranges to Oranges

Those who monitor the progress of the Ave Maria School of Law may find it interesting to compare AMSL to both another new Catholic law school (St. Thomas, in Minneapolis), and to an established Catholic law school (Catholic University of America). Data compiled by the ABA and reported each year by Cooley Law School as a public service is below (click to see a larger image):

This information represents an objective snapshot of the school - and demonstrates that the school is doing rather well. Check out the bar-passage rate (best in the nation, and far better than both schools) and employment rate (almost equal to veteran Catholic U., and 35% better than fellow-upstart St. Thomas U.). One statistic that is not in the graphic but is in Cooley's report and is based on the ABA data: Ave Maria has the number one rating of all law schools in the country for "program achievement" (an objective measure of the effectiveness of a school's academic program).

Kudos to Dean Dobranski and the entire law school community.

Ave Maria School of Law Moves Forward

Ave Maria Law School Weathers Critics, Moves Forward, Says Dean By Michael Chapman CNSNews.com Managing Editor August 30, 2007 Dean Bernard Dobranski clears the air about what is really going on at Ave Maria School of Law. Its well worth the read for the fair minded. Click here for the full story.

ABA Dismisses Dissident Concerns Over Governance and Academic Freedom at AMSL

Today, Dean Bernard Dobranski issued the following statement via email to all members of the Ave Maria School of Law community:

To Members of the Ave Maria Community

The American Bar Association has reviewed the numerous allegations against Ave Maria School of Law filed by undisclosed faculty members. Of all of the various allegations regarding school governance, academic freedom, and other issues, the only matter on which the ABA has asked us to report regards faculty hiring and retention. We will, of course, provide the ABA with all of the relevant information necessary to demonstrate compliance with the ABA Standard.

Although the ABA treats this process confidentially – and it is our intention to do the same – a brief update on where the near-completed process currently stands was warranted, given the level of misrepresentation and speculation which has surfaced regarding the ABA’s inquiry.

We look forward to completing this process in the months ahead in cooperation with the ABA, and to moving forward with all members of the Ave Maria community – faculty, students, and graduates – in pursuit of our shared
mission and vision.

This action by the ABA (a disinterested third party with enormous clout in the legal community) dramatically undercuts the ardent critics of the school's move, who base their criticism primarily on matters of governance and academic freedom and who have pinned their hopes of disrupting the school's administration on ABA intervention.

While the ABA has asked for more information about faculty hiring and retention, the school's recent announcement of new faculty hires bodes well for the successful resolution of the ABA inquiry, an inquiry which was instigated by those who oppose the school's move to Florida. The ABA is rightly concerned that the school will maintain a competent faculty regardless of any move, and the school clearly has that issue under control, despite the loss (or predictable loss) of some very competent professors who oppose the move so strongly.

Happily, Dean Dobranski is well-versed in the ABA standards, as demonstrated by the school's deftly managed fast-track accreditation in 2003 (and as Steve Safranek knew when he insisted that Dobranski be the school's founding dean).

This is great news. Congratulations, Bernie.

AMU compared to Notre Dame, BYU & Liberty

Naples News is featuring Ave Maria Town and Ave Maria University all week. They make superficial comparisons to Notre Dame University, Brigham Young University, and Liberty University.

AMU: "One of a kind"

Seems like enthusiasm is bursting out all over:

“We have been surrounded by the spirit of anticipation for so long,” she said. “It has been in the back of our heads, but you sort of never think it is going to happen. It’s so exciting. To see it, it is amazing.”

University Undergoes Amazing Transformation

Naples News offers its take on Ave Maria Universities amazing transformation:

You would think $246 million would buy some peace of mind. Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan pledged that amount to conceive the permanent site for Ave Maria University, his dream of a Catholic educational institution from the heart of the church. From that promise, he’s received state-of-the-art buildings, a sparkling centerpiece in a 100-foot oratory and become one of the major players in Catholic education. He’s also got $246 million worth of headaches.

Ave Maria Prep Opens With Whopping 140 Students

Projected to have only 70 students this first year, the town with almost no current residents has a very popular K-12 school:

“Enrollment has been strong,” he said. “It is double than what we expected, but we are very good at growth and adaptation, so we have planned ahead.” In fact, enrollment is so good, the school has gone to waiting lists for students in first, second, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

Students also will study languages, including Spanish and Latin, Guernsey said. Students will be educated by four nuns from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, Guernsey said. “They live and study and work here. They will be in full religious habit,” he said. “They are young and joyful and I know they are going to touch the hearts and minds of our students.”

Love at First Sight For Ave Maria's First Families

Seems like everyone has the same reaction:

One future Ave Maria couple, George and Anisoara Sinclair, who are Greek Orthodox Christians, did have some reservations about moving to the town, even though they both got “goosebumps” from the excitement of taking the town tour...“There was an emotional connection for us,” George Sinclair added. “It was like you see in the movies. Having a place in Ave Maria will be wonderful for us.”

Publix to Build at Ave Maria

This is great news - proof of just how much confidence the local community has in the town and university.

Publix Super Markets Inc., the Lakeland-based supermarket chain that owns 655 stores in Florida, is finalizing a lease with the Ave Maria town developer, Barron Collier Cos.

“It’s in the final stages,” Barron Collier Vice President Blake Gable said.

Details on the proposed store are few, but the store’s plans are based on a “smaller prototype” of approximately 28,000 square feet...