While we can thank the National Catholic Register for pointing out that Public Comments Overwhelmingly Oppose the HHS Mandate, we can also spread the word that anyone can very easily submit and register public comments online at this link.

The StPetersList.com version of the “keep calm” British wartime poster inspired the editors here to create this new cheeky tweak of a different wartime poster from the same series:

Please spread the word!

It’s normal to wonder if anyone is paying attention. As humans, our lives don’t seem to have meaning absent our communications and  interactions with others. And as Christians, the influence our own lives have on others is of great import; our salvation in some way depends on whether we are channels for and bearers of His love.  This goal is summed up in the lyrics of the alma mater song for Ave Maria’s law school: the Ave Maria project (in its many forms) serves as a “beacon in darkness, voice for all to hear.”

Of course we typically toil away hoping that our small lives will somehow change the world for the better – will change the world for Christ. How wonderful that the nation is now hearing our small voice as amplified by the swirl of current events. May that small voice resonate far and wide in the words of candidate Rick Santorum while addressing Ave Maria University, and in the words of AMU President Jim Towey as he announced that AMU is suing the Obama administration for violating first amendment religious freedoms.

(* Interesting fact: Ave Maria heavily favored Santorum in the primary at a time when Santorum was low in all the polls.)

Precinct 594 in Collier County, Florida, includes the largely Catholic and politically aware community of Ave Maria, Florida. The Catholic flavor in town is decidedly on the orthodox side of the spectrum (you know, the people who treat the non-negotiable issues – such as abortion and traditional marriage – as if they were non-negotiable, and who treat the prudential issues – such as how to care for the poor and whether a war is just – as if they were prudential issues upon which people of good will can disagree). The GOP primary results indicate that Ave Marians favored fellow Catholics Santorum and Gingrich. Santorum won this precinct by a huge margin, followed by Gingrich, and then Romney.

These results are far different than the rest of Florida and the rest of this county. The precinct includes a large area near Ave Maria that includes tribal land and migrant farm workers, which means that the precinct has a higher than usual democrat registration than the rest of the county. Its likely that most of the people who voted in this GOP primary in this precinct are from Ave Maria. Click here for Precinct 594 results (scroll to bottom). Click here for a precinct map.

Rick Santorum 143 (46.7%)

Newt Gingrich 85 (27.7%)

Mitt Romney 62 (20.2%)

Ron Paul 14 (4.57%)