Birth of clean town: Ave Maria

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Interesting story from USA Today concerning Tom Monaghan founding the town of Ave maria down in Florida. Here’s just a wee bit;

Monaghan dismisses questions about whether the town will tolerate non-Catholic views. But he created a stir last year when he was quoted as having said in a speech to a Catholic men’s conference that pharmacies wouldn’t be allowed to stock condoms or birth control pills and that cable TV would show no pornography.

Monaghan has since said he misspoke. Project manager Donald Schrotenboer says the town will obey all local ordinances, but officials “would prefer” that businesses sell only products consistent with a family-friendly environment.

That hasn’t appeased the ACLU of Florida, which says it will continue to monitor the town. Monaghan’s “comments on the record give us legitimate concerns about the community he’s creating,” says Executive Director Howard Simon.

The entire USA Today story can be viewed here. usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-07-18-ave-maria_N.htm

My take is here - catholic-caveman.blogspot.com/2007/07/are-they-fresh-outta-dope-pushers.html
 
Caveman said:
Interesting story from USA Today concerning Tom Monaghan founding the town of Ave maria down in Florida. Here’s just a wee bit;

Monaghan dismisses questions about whether the town will tolerate non-Catholic views. But he created a stir last year when he was quoted as having said in a speech to a Catholic men’s conference that pharmacies wouldn’t be allowed to stock condoms or birth control pills and that cable TV would show no pornography.

Monaghan has since said he misspoke. Project manager Donald Schrotenboer says the town will obey all local ordinances, but officials “would prefer” that businesses sell only products consistent with a family-friendly environment.

That hasn’t appeased the ACLU of Florida, which says it will continue to monitor the town. Monaghan’s “comments on the record give us legitimate concerns about the community he’s creating,” says Executive Director Howard Simon.

The entire USA Today story can be viewed here. usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-07-18-ave-maria_N.htm

My take is here - catholic-caveman.blogspot.com/2007/07/are-they-fresh-outta-dope-pushers.html
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Place “your take” on this thread.
 
Caveman said:
Interesting story from USA Today concerning Tom Monaghan founding the town of Ave maria down in Florida. Here’s just a wee bit;

Monaghan dismisses questions about whether the town will tolerate non-Catholic views. But he created a stir last year when he was quoted as having said in a speech to a Catholic men’s conference that pharmacies wouldn’t be allowed to stock condoms or birth control pills and that cable TV would show no pornography.

Monaghan has since said he misspoke. Project manager Donald Schrotenboer says the town will obey all local ordinances, but officials “would prefer” that businesses sell only products consistent with a family-friendly environment.

That hasn’t appeased the ACLU of Florida, which says it will continue to monitor the town. Monaghan’s “comments on the record give us legitimate concerns about the community he’s creating,” says Executive Director Howard Simon.

The entire USA Today story can be viewed here. usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-07-18-ave-maria_N.htm

My take is here - catholic-caveman.blogspot.com/2007/07/are-they-fresh-outta-dope-pushers.html
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I’m very angry with Mr. Monaghan about this town. He made a ‘Catholic’ town where only those who could afford a 'starter house at $250,000 could live. I’m a good Catholic. But I can’t afford $250,000 for a house. Why doesn’t he want me for a neighbor?
 
Philothea53 said:
I’m very angry with Mr. Monaghan about this town. He made a ‘Catholic’ town where only those who could afford a 'starter house at $250,000 could live. I’m a good Catholic. But I can’t afford $250,000 for a house. Why doesn’t he want me for a neighbor?
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it seems to be for those who share his catholic values AND his large wallet, lol.
 
faithfulrock3r said:
it seems to be for those who share his catholic values AND his large wallet, lol.
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Yep, and the reason why I will not eat Dominos pizza - I won’t buy it and won’t eat it even if someone else buys it. Eleanor Roosevelt (not that I agreed with much she had to say) said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Tom Monaghan does not have my consent.
 
Philothea53 said:
Why doesn’t he want me for a neighbor?
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because, in America, money and capitalism are god.

Tom is a businessman first and foremost.
as my college economics teacher drilled into us…
“when the say it ain’t about the money… it’s absolutely about the money”
 
Philothea53 said:
Yep, and the reason why I will not eat Dominos pizza - I won’t buy it and won’t eat it even if someone else buys it. Eleanor Roosevelt (not that I agreed with much she had to say) said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Tom Monaghan does not have my consent.
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thann said:
FWIW, Monaghan sold Domino’s nearly 10 years ago.

'thann
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I have not eaten a Dominos Pizza in over 10 years, but that was due to a rude delivery person who damanded a tip (I was short of money then) and said to pick up my pizza the next time. :mad:

As for the ACLU, they will not be satisfied until there are strip clubs, porno stores, and death factories (abortion mills).
 
Philothea53 said:
I’m very angry with Mr. Monaghan about this town. He made a ‘Catholic’ town where only those who could afford a 'starter house at $250,000 could live. I’m a good Catholic. But I can’t afford $250,000 for a house. Why doesn’t he want me for a neighbor?
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$250,000???

Wow. That’s a bargain.

(from a wannabe homeowner in California.)😦
 
It should be said that Naples Florida (where the University is at) is one of the MOST richest in the USA. Compare price of homes in major cities (Washington, Chicago, Beverly Hills).
 
WanderAimlessly said:
I have not eaten a Dominos Pizza in over 10 years, but that was due to a rude delivery person who damanded a tip (I was short of money then) and said to pick up my pizza the next time. :mad:

As for the ACLU, they will not be satisfied until there are strip clubs, porno stores, and death factories (abortion mills).
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If a delivery driver said that to me I would demand his firing to HIS BOSS. I remember one time where a local Pizza company had a policy that if you didn’t get a Pizza in 30 minutes from the time you order it on the phone it would be free. Sure enough one time the pizza was late. So the driver shamelessly came in and lied to me and said the money would come out of his pocket. It wouldn’t he was trying to steal the money from the company and it said right on the box that they wouldn’t. So I called the Pizza company up and next time I ordered a pizza he was gone.
 
Tonks40 said:
$250,000???

Wow. That’s a bargain.

(from a wannabe homeowner in California.)😦
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Bingo. $250,000 isn’t that outrageous. That is about what your average brand new Pulte house goes for around here.
 
thomasf said:
Bingo. $250,000 isn’t that outrageous. That is about what your average brand new Pulte house goes for around here.
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Well, I am so sorry you missed my point. $250,000 is pretty much the starting price for homes in Ave Maria. That means the price goes UP from there. For a Catholic to be starting a so-called Catholic community, it’s a shame he is not even considering those who can not easily afford, what is according to your link, the ‘median’ price, and up. It seems to me that if he wanted to draw Catholics he could have started lower. But as another poster said, it’s all about capitalism - even among our Catholic brethren. The bottom line is that I think the idea of a Catholic community was a gimmick and the true reason for building Ave Maria is profit.
 
Philothea53 said:
Well, I am so sorry you missed my point. $250,000 is pretty much the starting price for homes in Ave Maria. That means the price goes UP from there. For a Catholic to be starting a so-called Catholic community, it’s a shame he is not even considering those who can not easily afford, what is according to your link, the ‘median’ price, and up. It seems to me that if he wanted to draw Catholics he could have started lower. But as another poster said, it’s all about capitalism - even among our Catholic brethren. The bottom line is that I think the idea of a Catholic community was a gimmick and the true reason for building Ave Maria is profit.
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I agree with you that accomodations for the poor and working class should be a chief concern. However, is this an error in prudence or one of intent? This guy sounds like he’s trying. There are times when I try to do the right thing but due to a lack of prudence on my part I make things worse.

Doesn’t charity ask that we put the better spin on his intent?
 
On the one hand, I think it is wonderful if a bunch of Catholics (or any other group) want to live together in order to help them live out their christian witness. What I don’t like about this, is the way they are trying to force it to be a Catholic community by having only one person own all of the commercial real estate. Monopoly is not consistent with Catholic Social teaching.
 
Of all the things to do with the money to promote the Catholic Church… the missions that need it, the growing orders that need it, the third world seminarians that need it.

Good luck to Tom - it is his money, it is his vision, he may do as he choses.

This has been tried before - this sort of utopian vision… and to date it has yet to work.

I will not be the least bit suprised when an outside group makes an effort to challenge this in court or make it look foolish. In the same way that NOW sent a pregnant woman to France to buy RU-486 and flew her back with it to challenge the ban, or Larry Flint became “employed” at a convienance store to sell pornography so as to get arrested and then challenge the obscenity laws in Cincinatti…

Well, how long do you suppose before the first (for example) gay couple attempt to purchase and reside in a home there for the sake of litigation and protest? Lawsuits are on the way, mark my words.

Folks wishing to live in a very Catholic community might do well to consider buying a home not far from a monastery so they could visit often, or near a parish they could walk to for daily Mass/adoration/volunteer work.
 
Philothea53 said:
Well, I am so sorry you missed my point. $250,000 is pretty much the starting price for homes in Ave Maria. That means the price goes UP from there. For a Catholic to be starting a so-called Catholic community, it’s a shame he is not even considering those who can not easily afford, what is according to your link, the ‘median’ price, and up. It seems to me that if he wanted to draw Catholics he could have started lower. But as another poster said, it’s all about capitalism - even among our Catholic brethren. The bottom line is that I think the idea of a Catholic community was a gimmick and the true reason for building Ave Maria is profit.
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You make a good point.

Folks starting out as a young family, with a vision of openess to life and a fidelity to the Church’s teaching on Humanae Vitae - at least in my part of the world - frequently opt to live further out of town where they can afford a home and a family.
 
This echoes my intentional misquotation of the first time Jesus preached in Scripture…

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, to preach the Gospel to the…uppermiddle class…”

In my opinion to have a village such as Ave Maria, and to not have the poor anywhere around, smacks of exclusivism…based upon economics…Christ calls us to the poor, the disinfranchised, the downtrodden…that is our apostolate as baptised Catholics…i would love my apostolate to be in the Club House of a golf course, or to soothe and console “Buffy” that she would find the lord present at Yale, as much as Harvard…or_________ you fill in the blank…the reality of the matter is that we are going to be held accountable on the day of judgement for what and how we invested our lives…the Lord is going to be looking for a return on the investment that he made in us…to hide it in the safe portals of Ave Maria, to me, is to insult Him who was exposed to every kind of evil right until the moment of his death on a cross. Dare we live any different…

may heaven forgive us for desiring safety at the cost of souls
 
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