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Ave Maria, Florida – the town with a Catholic heart.©™ Stories & information for residents & visitors.Father McTeigue: More reparation for Harvard’s black mass
Older & better: Eucharistia est Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae – The Eucharist is the Truth of Christ and the Church
Last Thursday we shared with readers: 1) the evidence presented by Harvard alum Michael Pakaluk (an Ave Maria resident and professor at Ave Maria University) that the leaders of Harvard face a conundrum of their own making when it comes to what shall henceforth be known as Harvard’s black mass; 2) a beautiful rendering of one of Satan’s most powerful enemies, Saint Michael the Archangel, painted by the talented Cornelius Sullivan, a former art instructor at Harvard University who is an Ave Maria parishioner; and 3) the homily AMU’s Father Robert McTeigue, SJ, delivered as he led a public act of reparation and love.
On Friday Father McTeigue delivered another wonderful homily – another public act of reparation and love – joyfully proclaiming the “veritas” the Church has always vouchsafed: that the Eucharist is the Truth of Christ and the Church. He asked me to include his forwarding remarks, which are in italics:
As a priest, I am a servant, steward and guardian of the Eucharist. Consequently, the sacrilege to be hosted at Harvard on Monday is especially painful to me. You know that on Thursday, when I first learned of this outrage, I changed my plans for the Mass I was scheduled for that day, along with the homily I had planned. I offered the Votive Mass of the Precious Blood. On Friday, I was scheduled for the noon Mass here. With the impending Harvard scandal still on my heart, I offered the Votive Mass in Honor of the Holy Eucharist. Here is the homily I preached that day. Again, I must say how grateful I am as a priest to be of service to a community with such a deep reverence and love for our Eucharistic Lord.
When I was a boy, I grew up hearing stories of my Italian grandfather, Guido Formisano. On Sundays, your Sunday obligation was only partly fulfilled by going to Mass. Your obligation was completed by eating Sunday dinner, with Papa at the head of the table. These were great and grand dinners. Papa would be all the leaves into the table in order to extend it. And when they ran out of chairs, they would put ironing boards between stools in order to seat everyone. The homemade food and homemade wine appeared endless. Everyone enjoyed the dinners Papa presided over, but few really knew what those dinners cost him.
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Ave Maria University’s 10th Commencement
Some highlights from AMU’s 10th annual commencement exercises held today. The first two photos are from AMU student photographer Jeremiah Rappley’s excellent social media album that has a hundred more images of the weekend events.
More images and video clips below.
Donahue Catholic honors fallen Army pilot and military alums
Margaret Padgett in front of the Major David Padgett Wall of Honor, newly installed at Donahue Catholic Academy in Ave Maria
This afternoon the Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria dedicated a Wall of Honor to honor Army pilot Major David Padgett who was killed during the Vietnam War. The founder of the school, Marine Corps veteran Tom Monaghan, and the school’s benefactrix namesake, Mrs. Rhodora Donahue, were also on hand for the ceremony in the library where the Wall of Honor is installed. Read the rest of this entry »
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Ave Maria’s Michael Pakaluk and Fr. McTeigue on Harvard’s black mass
Saint Michael by artist Cornelius Sullivan, a member of the Ave Maria community. Saint Michael’s assistance is invoked against the devil at the end of every Mass in Ave Maria. Sullivan has taught Drawing at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
UPDATE 5/12/2014: Father McTeigue offered another act of reparation here.
By now many have heard of Harvard University’s “black mass” scheduled for May 12. The always engaging head of Ave Maria’s Department of Philosphy, Michael Pakaluk, who as an alum (undergrad and PhD) knows the black mass Harvard well, served up a list of pithy comments about the situation on his blog. Here is one to tempt you to click:
2. Yes, of course, the administration would not be benignly tolerant if it were the reenactment of a KKK lynching (for purposes of cultural edification, of course), or a ritualized Koran burning. It’s too obvious to say this. But it had to be said.
When my good friend, Father Robert McTeigue, SJ, an adjunct philosophy professor at Ave Maria University, heard about Harvard’s black mass, he changed his homily, went to say Mass at the Oratory as scheduled, put on red vestments, and
Sheep without a shepherd get eaten by wolves: Good Shepherd Sunday (TLM) with Fr. McTeigue
Good Shepherd by Márton Váró in the Ave Maria Oratory
The readings for Good Shepherd Sunday – Second Sunday after Easter, were the inspiration for this homily given at the Extraordinary Form Mass by Father Robert McTeigue, SJ, a homilist par excellence who teaches Philosophy at Ave Maria University and preaches almost every day to the students and parishioners of Ave Maria, and who asks for your prayers as he completes his forthcoming book, I Have Someone to Tell You: A Jesuit Heralds the Gospel, which will include a sampling of his homilies and some essays on preaching. We invite comments below.
Do you want to hear a story? My sister has a little dog named Glenda. She is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, a pit bull the color of honey. Glenda is the luckiest, happiest dog in the world. She has three beds to sleep in, each one with a pillow. She gets presents for Christmas and her birthday. My sister talks to Glenda as if she were a child, and refers to the dog as “mother’s lamb.” Glenda gets love and attention from the moment she wakes up to the moment she goes to sleep in one of her three beds.
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Sunrise in Ave Maria
Ave Maria’s lakes and trails are a great place for a morning walk or run.
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Divine Mercy Sunday with Fr. McTeigue: Be religious, not spiritual
The readings for Divine Mercy Sunday, which focus on the Lord’s boundless mercy, were the inspiration for this homily given by Father Robert McTeigue, SJ, a homilist par excellence who teaches Philosophy at Ave Maria University and preaches almost every day to the students and parishioners of Ave Maria, and who asks for your prayers as he completes his forthcoming book, I Have Someone to Tell You: A Jesuit Heralds the Gospel, which will include a sampling of his homilies and some essays on preaching. We invite comments below.
If I were a lazy preacher, and you all were an ordinary congregation, we could wrap up this homily quite quickly. I could say, “Thomas doubted and made Jesus mad; then Thomas believed and made Jesus happy. Doubting is bad; believing is good. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” And then you all could reward my laziness by thinking to yourselves, “Well, that was useless, but at least it didn’t take very long,” and then we could get on with the rest of Mass.
Fitness Center Buzz
Computer model of Ave Maria’s new fitness center
We all know that the new fitness center is under construction be- cause we have read about it and we have seen it unfolding on Annunciation Circle. Unnamed sources indicate things are going according to plan and the opening will be in the first week of April, and that children age 14 and above will be able to use the new facility if they are with their parent or guardian. Currently the age is 16 – kudos to the Ave Maria Master Association for responding to the members’ request for this change.
UPDATE 4/11/2014: While it is clear much of the work is complete, the opening has been delayed.
UPDATE 4/29/2014: Opening is slated for May 10 – click on the image to read more.
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Being named after Saint John Paul the Great (a town where it’s common, and 1 young John Paul who is attending the canonization)
On the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday when Pope John Paul II will officially enter the canon of saints of Christ’s Church, many families in the town of Ave Maria are also planning a feast day for their sons – or their Sister! It is fitting that a town where one of the streets is named “Pope John Paul II Boulevard” – a town whose founding was inspired by that pope’s “new evangelization” – has so many boys and young men named after that extraordinary man.
His papacy saw a rise in the popularity of the name “John Paul” for newborns in the USA as shown in this graphic, with spikes in popularity based on events in his life:
How many newborns were named “John Paul” in the USA each year?
Of course not everyone bearing the name received it as a newborn boy. Sister John Paul, OP, who teaches in Ave Maria at Donahue Catholic, received the name when she entered Religious life.
“I received the name John Paul as my religious name the day I received the holy habit of St. Dominic, August 5, 2001. ‘John Paul II, we love you!'” – window at the Mother House of the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist
Among the estimated dozen John Paul’s in Ave Maria, several have provided photographs, below.
John Paul Raiger
John Paul Klucik
John Paul Tamisiea
John Paul Moore, who made his First Holy Communion today.
John Paul Moore – born second – was blessed while in the womb with his twin sister Rhodora by John Paul II. And while the parents had no idea they were having twins, the Pope knew because he gave them two extra rosaries (instead of one extra) for the baby!
One lucky Ave Maria boy bearing the name is having the trip of a lifetime with his mother – they traveled to Rome to attend tomorrow’s canonization ceremony! John Paul Allan’s friends and neighbors have been able to follow his special pilgrimage via Facebook. Mrs. Allan owns a Catholic gift and book store and home school supply store called By Way of the Family that she named after a phrase from Saint Pope John Paul”s apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio: “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.”
John Paul Allan and his mother Chelsea with the Vatican in background on their canonization pilgrimage in Rome.
Pope John Paul II canonization banner over the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica with John Paul Allan standing under it at St. Peter’s Basilica.
John Paul Allan praying at the tomb of Pope John Paul II the day before his canonization.
John Paul Allan praying at the tomb of Pope John XXIII the day before his canonization.
John Paul Allan and his mom Chelsea sent this image showing where they are standing in line at 3:00 AM on the eve of John Paul II’s canonization.
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Pontificate of Hope (that continues to inspire our town)
This reflection (below), penned by Cistercian Father Edmund Waldstein after St. John Paul was beatified in 2011, highlights what many Catholics of my generation found in his Petrine ministry: hope. That hope in the nature of who we are as creatures of a Creator will continue to fuel the flame that is the Gospel. That hope is precisely why the Ave Maria projects were founded.
We can look forward with hope to the writing and teaching of theologian Pater Edmund, and of his theologian parents Michael and Susan here in Ave Maria, who have done much already to spread this good news that is St. John Paul’s theology – especially his Theology of the Body.
My confrere Pater Johannes Paul and I went to Rome with a group of pilgrims for the beatification of Pope John Paul II. It was tremendously moving and all that sort of thing, but the trip was also kind of exhausting and so I actually fell asleep during the sermon at the Beatification Mass. Reading the sermon when I got back, I was struck by the following passage, in which Pope Benedict gives a remarkably pithy summary of the center of his predecessor’s teaching:
View original post 1,317 more words
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“Balloons Over Paradise” means lots of balloons over Ave Maria
This weekend the Balloons Over Paradise event near Ave Maria actually featured a flight of at least a dozen hot air balloons that flew over Ave Maria on Saturday morning. Several of the balloons landed in Ave Maria. These photos all appeared on social media sites even as the balloons were in the air:
Balloon’s-eye view? Not really. This is what the Oratory might look like from a balloon, but this was taken by Ave Maria resident Scott Shneider as he inspected the roof earlier in April.
Balloon lands in Bellera neighborhood in Ave Maria.
Balloons fly over Ave Maria, Florida.
Balloons photographed from a balcony at the center of Ave Maria, Florida.
Balloons fly bast the Ave Maria Oratory.
Balloons drifting over Ave Maria, Florida.
Balloon making a landing in Ave Maria.
Balloon lands in Emerson Park in Ave Maria.
Giant bear looms over Ave Maria.
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23 children make First Holy Communion in Ave Maria
Pastor Fr. Cory Mayer and catechists with communicants – Ave Maria Oratory First Holy Communion
First Communicants process in for Mass at the Ave Maria Oratory
Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist attended the First Communion Mass in Ave Maria
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Recent Herald stories: Ave Maria Water #1, Veterans home proposal, more
Since its founding in 2007, the town of Ave Maria has been able to consistently rely on one solid source for news: the Ave Maria Herald, a project of Pat Sette and David Shnaider, who moved their family to town in the beginning. We are fortunate to have them as part of our community. These are some of the stories in the Herald recently about Ave Maria:
Ave Maria Is a Potential Site for VA Nursing Home
Ave Maria Water Judged Florida’s Best for 2nd time
Travis Curtright Honored with 2nd Laub-Novak Award
Laura Mastandrea Named to All-Area HS Soccer Team
Donahue Football Players Receive State-wide Awards
Former AMU Student Remembered as “Everyday Hero”
Ave Maria Oratory: Lumen Christi
Easter Vigil Mass at the Ave Maria Oratory
photo by Rudy Vasquez
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Easter Sunday with Fr. McTeigue: How will I know it’s Easter?
The readings for today’s Mass for Easter Sunday, which focus on the Resurrection of the Lord, were the inspiration for this homily given by Father Robert McTeigue, SJ, a homilist par excellence who teaches Philosophy at Ave Maria University and preaches almost every day to the students and parishioners of Ave Maria, and who asks for your prayers as he completes his forthcoming book, I Have Someone to Tell You: A Jesuit Heralds the Gospel, which will include a sampling of his homilies and some essays on preaching. We invite comments below.
Would you mind if I asked you a question? It is a question with an obvious answer, but I want us to find a not-so-obvious answer. Are you ready? The question is this: How do you know when it is time to celebrate Easter? The obvious answer would be, “That’s easy Father—just look at a calendar.” A more sophisticated answer might be, “I think it’s got something to do with the full moon and the spring equinox.” Now, that’s ok, but that’s not quite what I’m looking for.
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Because I’m happy – it’s Easter
Because I’m happy – Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy – Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy – Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy – Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do
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To celebrate this incredibly joyous occasion of Easter, please enjoy “Happy” performed by the Ave Maria University’s Shakespeare in Performance troupe as a prelude to What You Will. Lyrics are from the hit song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.
Tickets to What You Will are free but you must reserve seats in advance at AveShakespeare@gmail.com. All shows are held in the Academic Building, room 1019 at Ave Maria University. Dates and start times are below:
Wed, 4/23: 7:30 PM.
Thurs, 4/24, 7:30 PM.
Fri, 4/25: Sold Out!
Sat, 4/26, 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Sun, 4/27, 2:00 PM
All evening shows begin seating at 7:00 PM, pre-show starts at 7:15, doors close at 7:30. Afternoon shows begin seating at 1:30 PM, pre-show starts at 1:45, doors close at 2:00.
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In need of corporal works, He left
To lose – to give my self – to love*
From crib to cross the life He led
Was feeding us and being fed
In giving all He had to give
His body: food, that I might live
Yes from that wood He wished to feed
His flock by giving me His need
Such wounded need, to give me heaven
The Lamb in need of works, all seven
Evicted from His temple home (1)
Imprisoned by the man from Rome (2)
Sickened by each brutal blow (3)
A grimmer day no man could know
Naked (4) and deprived of bread (5)
And thirsting so (6), and finally dead (7)
In need of corporal works, He left
A humble gift for His bereft
That strengthens us to ever give
To ‘suage His need in those who live
His gift to me was being killed
By giving so was He fulfilled
I too must lose my “self” to find
The dest’ny of my heart and mind
To lose – to give my self – to love
A humble moon, reflection of
The gleaming giving Trinity
I seek and hope to ever be
And thus I hope to ever see
In glory His Divinity
By losing everything, I gain
By losing, everything I gain
A family’s Way of the Cross*
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Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Ave Maria
This recent blog piece gives high praise to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Here is an excerpt:
[This] program for children has given the kids something I could never be sure I was conveying: a simple, synthesized, profound involvement with the Gospel and with the liturgical life of the Church.
Did you know this program is present here in Ave Maria at the Montessori school in town? On the website, one local family offers this testimonial:
…We are especially grateful that Ave Maria Montessori incorporates the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd so that our children can experience the truth and beauty of Sacred Scripture and the Liturgy in a way that is accessible to them…
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Shakespeare’s eros: What You Ought
It was hard not to smile as the cast of What You Will skillfully serenaded the audience with the pop song “Happy” prior to the start of the play. That same joy continued as the play’s director, Professor Travis Curtright, was presented with the Laub-Novak Award for Excellence in Teaching.
AMU’s Shakespeare In Performance troupe celebrates after opening night.
Playing to a packed small classroom, the opening night cast gave an extremely confident and uproariously funny performance of Shakespeare’s comic tale of a lord, a lady, courtiers, shipwrecked twins, concealed identity, confused and unrequited love – and a very witty and bawdy jester. Well-sung, well-chosen pop music punctuated the play as if the songs were selected by the Bard himself.*
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Angelic inspiration from Father Fessio’s anti-blog
Not a few of us miss that great Jesuit and AMU co-founder, Father Joseph Fessio, the founder of publisher Ignatius Press. Back when he lived here in Ave Maria, he came to the house for dinner and gave us a book, The Grain of Wheat, a collection of aphorisms by the great theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar. The book’s short thoughtful sentences – each one a complete thought – made my prayer time extremely fruitful. They offer a sublime concision.
Now Father Fessio has a new project that he calls his anti-blog. These are the two reasons he calls it an anti-blog:
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Great News: Scanlon new athletic & formation director at Donahue Catholic
Two sources have confirmed that beloved Shamrock football coach Rich Scanlon has been hired by Donahue Catholic as its Director of Athletics, Director of Formation, and Physical Education Instructor. Last week Coach Read the rest of this entry »
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Sunset carriage ride in Ave Maria
A friend whose home overlooks Annunciation Circle posted this amazing photo and its caption on social media. She gave me permission to share it here. Thanks, MR!
Update: You might be able to arrange a similar ride by contacting Ave Maria’s own equestrian center, The Stable Life.
A beautiful evening here in Ave. A family is taking a carriage ride through the town of Ave and enjoying the sunset.
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Typical Saturday in Ave Maria: cappuccino, Mass, little league, rugby, confession, brewing beer, etc.
Many people arrive at this blog by googling terms such as “what is Ave Maria really like”. This post tries to give some insight by sharing what a typical Saturday looks like for an Ave Maria family. These are some of the things members of my family did yesterday: walked to adoration and morning Mass, made cappuccino for a neighbor, biked to the little league game, walked to church to make First Confession, biked to 
local ice cream shop to celebrate, walked across the street to play/watch rugby matches, biked to neighbor’s porch to brew (and consume) India pale ale, visited grandmother down the street who just got home from hip replacement (and arranged to have pastor bring Holy Communion to her on Sunday), 
watched toddler of a young couple who had a date night, brought guitar to neighbor for restringing, walked over to a praise festival at the university, and walked to the Catholic school to play organized games at the gym. I’m sure I only left out a dozen other things.
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Afternoon pilgrimage with Mother Teresa: “If there are poor on the moon we will go there”
I had wanted to see the new Mother Teresa exhibit in Ave Maria since it opened on April 2. After some good news at work, I walked downstairs and headed down the block toward the exhibit to make an act of thanksgiving to God. And I am so glad I did. The exhibit was very moving. For anyone who felt Mother’s absence when she left this world it will be hard not to well up with emotion at every information panel in the exhibit.
What a gift it is to have here in Ave Maria Mother’s Read the rest of this entry »
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Palm Sunday with Fr. McTeigue: History might not repeat itself but it rhymes
The readings for today’s Mass for Palm Sunday, which focus on the Lord’s Passion, were the inspiration for this homily given by Father Robert McTeigue, SJ, a homilist par excellence who teaches Philosophy at Ave Maria University and preaches almost every day to the students and parishioners of Ave Maria:
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Throwback Saturday: Oratory dedication 2008
It was a great day! Click image below for full story (it’s short but worth a read). Can you find the two references to AMU’ s two mottos?
This was written when Bishop Dewane dedicated the Ave Maria Oratory in 2008
Click thumbnails to go to Naples Daily News coverage.
Click here for the video.
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What’s the population of Ave Maria?
At tonight’s annual AMU Founder’s Club Dinner in Naples, the chief operating officer of Barron Collier Companies, Brian Goguen, gave an Ave Maria town update to the nearly 300 attendees. No doubt, the Ave Herald has more details, but these are some highlights:
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Marriage means something in Ave Maria
Ryan T. Anderson, quite possibly the nation’s most articulate defender of the age-old understanding of marriage across cultures, eras and continents, will be in town today. Don’t miss it.
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West Point and Ave Maria
Jack Donahue, West Point Class of 1946, is one of Ave Maria’s biggest benefactors, as this bronze plaque behind the Oratory explains
What do Ave Maria and West Point have in common? Not much, really. But we can stretch to find a connection in order to share a really neat story that hit the internet this week. So here goes: Jack Donahue, who along with his wife Rhodora (that Rhodora) is one of Ave Maria University’s biggest benefactors, graduated from West Point in 1946. That really is enough of a connection, I think.*
The story being shared is simple, except that its two-dozen photographs give a glimpse into an American treasure that still holds fast to at least some anachronistic traditions. When you click through, be sure to scroll down to see a portion of the 4400 cadets who stream into the mess hall and simultaneously sit down to eat in a 20-second time-lapse video.
Just one ofmore six wings in the Gothic mess hall that seats 4400 cadets, who all sit down simultaneously to eat three times a day
*Full disclosure: As an alum and president of the West Point Society of Naples, yours truly is quite biased (and ate probably 3500 meals in this mess hall).
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Youth 2000: Thank you!
This team led about 100 students in the Youth 2000 retreat in Ave Maria, Florida, this past weekend, with the assistance of dozens more volunteers. Pictured are Joey Haas, Martin Doman, Sister John Paul O.P., and six members of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.
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A year in Ave Maria, Florida
Bob and Erin Campbell have lived in town since almost the beginning. Hailing from Iowa, Erin is an alum of Ave Maria College. Bob is from Bayonne, NJ, and his alma mater is Franciscan University of Steubenville. Both Bob and Erin are Marine Corps veterans. They and their three daughters just welcomed a new boy to the family. Bob helps coach the football team at Donahue Catholic and is active with the Knights of Columbus and the Naples St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee. They are both real estate agents at the John R. Wood Properties office located in Ave Maria.
They created this video to celebrate the past twelve months doing business in the town they call home, Ave Maria.
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Update: Myra talks Ave Maria on Sunday TV
This teaser video clip (click the photo) has me curious. Myra Daniels really does love Ave Maria, and this Sunday we’ll be able to hear why.
UPDATE: Wow – Myra is passionate about Mother Teresa, Ave Maria University, and the town of Ave Maria. Full video is now available here.
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Lent & Easter liturgies in Ave Maria
As Lent continues, several special liturgies are approaching: Palm Sunday, Holy Week, the Easter Triduum itself, and then Divine Mercy Sunday. The Ave Herald has the schedule, and these AMU flyers provide details for Lenten observances and worship at the Ave Maria Oratory.
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Bishop Dewane in Ave Maria to support youth
On Saturday evening Bishop Frank Dewane celebrated the vigil Mass at the Ave Maria Oratory with parishioners. His visit was in support of the Youth2000 retreat being held in town this weekend.
Five Franciscan Friars giving the retreat and pastor Father Cory Mayer concelebrated the Mass. With nearly 100 local high school and college students participating, the retreat was organized by Sister John Paul, O.P., a teacher at Donahue Catholic academy, and supported by dozens of volunteers.
Bishop Dewane expressed joy in his own vocation while encouraging the retreatants to seriously consider whether God might be calling the young men to be priests or Religious, and the young women to enter Religious life. While in town he also spent time with middle school students.
Venice Bishop Frank Dewane distributes Holy Communion at the Ave Maria Oratory assisted by altar boy Joseph Klucik
A shaft of bright sunlight focuses attention on Venice Bishop Frank Dewane and Father Cory Mayer during Mass in Ave Maria
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Duc in Altum: Vocations Fest 2014
Ave Maria University is hosting Vocations Fest 2014 on Friday April 9. The Herald has more details. Contact campusministry@avemaria.edu for more information or to rsvp for the BBQ.
Meet & Greet at Student Union: 11:00am-2:00pm
Outdoor BBQ and live Music: 5:00pm-7:00pm
The following groups will be present:
Diocese of Venice, FL
Dominican Friars
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Franciscan Capuchins
Missionaries of Charity
Order of Friar Minor
Oblates of St. Joseph
The Piarist Fathers
Salesians of St. John Bosco
Society of Jesus
Order of the Most Holy Trinity
Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist*
Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal
Franciscan Sisters, TOR
Little Sisters of the Poor
Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco
Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
* editor’s favorite
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Wired Magazine does the Ave Maria a bit differently
You may recall the work in Ave Maria of photographer Rylan Steele from a prior piece (and his website is here). Today Wired magazine featured his photographs of Ave Maria along with his reflections about the town. Unlike most of the pieces about Ave Maria that simply restate all the tired caricatures of the town, this one actually highlights the photographer’s insistence that we are genuine – a real community of people with admirable intentions.*
“I’ve started to identify with the people living there and why they might want to live in a place where they know their neighbor, can leave their bike in the front yard overnight, and probably the doors unlocked.”
He, a non-believer, defends us! It seems that Steele – having spent time with us – actually cares about us and doesn’t want people to accept the caricatures. Thanks Rylan. Please keep coming back. 
* Yes, the headline stinks, and yes there is a bit of the typical Ave-bashing, but we can lay that at the feet of the Wired editor. And the photos are stale – from 2011.
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Hail Myra (hail, yes)
The formidable Myra Daniels has been a “maker” for decades – a doer, a rut buster. This week the local PBS station featured this short profile, which highlights her involvement with the Mother Teresa Museum at Ave Maria. Myra (a Jewish octegenarian) mentioned praying about her post-retirement projects. She chose to help the Salvation Army and Ave Maria University, saying she was very inspired by Mother Teresa’s gift of self to others. It is something she wants to imitate in her own way. Hail Myra.
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Shakespeare’s What You Will at Ave Maria: a jester who seriously enjoys acting
Name: Nicholas Ciavarra
School: Ave Maria University
Major: Humanities
Graduation: 2015
Troupe: Shakespeare in Performance at AMU
Play: What You Will (aka Twelfth Night) (click here for tickets April 16-27)
Years with the troupe and various jobs and roles: This is my second year with the troupe. Last year, I played the role of Claudio and this year I am playing the role of the clown, Feste. I performed at the Ave Maria Scholarship Dinner too.
How did you discover and become part of Shakespeare in Performance? I transferred to Ave Maria in the fall of 2012 from a prestigious Liberal Arts college in Massachusetts, where I was pursuing a theatre minor. Whenever I told someone at Ave Maria about my interest in theatre,
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Carved in stone: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ
The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is normally celebrated on March 25 (tomorrow), which is nine months before the Feast of Christmas. It is also known as the Feast of the Incarnation and the Annunciation of the Lord. 
The feast marks a gospel episode that has been portrayed in art countless times through the centuries, often with the angel Gabriel kneeling before a standing Mary.
Of course, the town of Ave Maria is named after this Incarnation episode. 
Fronting Ave Maria Boulevard (but with the altar facing east) and situated in the middle of Annunciation Circle, the Oratory at the very center of town features the massive Annunciation sculpture, carved here in town in glistening white Carrara marble by Márton Váró from 2009 to 2011. The sculpture is composed of huge carved blocks that are stacked on top of one another and set into the arched tympanum on the front of the Oratory. The carved block portraying Mary’s head and torso was lowered into place from a crane at 6:00 p.m. on January 7, 2011, at which point onlookers joyfully prayed the Angelus (led by Dan Guernsey).
This is how the Annunciation story is told in Luke 1:26-38:
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no husband?” And the angel said to her,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
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All hail, Mary! Let the feasting begin!
On Tuesday March 25 Ave Maria University hosts students and townsfolk alike at its second annual grand Annunciation Feast. This is the seventh year the town and parish have celebrated the Annunciation; this day marks the sixth anniversary of the Oratory’s consecration on this feast day in 2008 by Bishop Frank Dewane.
For all who carry the Ave Maria banner – town, parish and university – this is the feast day of
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Giorgio: Life is Beautiful
We love you Giorgio, and we love your father and mother Scott and Chelsea and all your brothers and sisters.
Giorgio Allan, child of God, beloved son of Ave Maria.
This video tribute was created by Giorgio’s brother, Dominic.
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We love you, Giorgio.
Giorgio Allan
b. June 5, 2013
† March 17, 2014
Beautiful child of God.
Son of Ave Maria.
Pray for us.
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Throwback Thursday: Joseph Pearce on Ave Maria
In 2011 writer Joseph Pearce wrote a wonderful reflection about being a resident of Ave Maria and a longtime member of the AMU faculty. He is now on the faculty at the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts.
Here is the link: World is eccentric; Ave Maria is different because it’s not
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THIS is how to promote the Culture of Life (Ave Maria University)
This week Ave Maria University celebrates the Culture of Life with a “Life Week” of programmed
events. Choose life!
LIFE WEEK – March 17-23:
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Ave Herald continues to deliver the news about Ave Maria
Since its founding in 2007, the town of Ave Maria has been able to consistently rely on one solid source for news: the Ave Maria Herald, a project of Pat Sette and David Shnaider, who moved their family to town in the beginning. 
We are fortunate to have them as part of our community. In the past week alone the Herald reported the following important news stories:
Seminole Tribe Reported Planning Hard Rock Hotel for Immokalee
Contributions of AMU Community Acknowledged at Former AMU Nicaragua Campus
Ave Maria Law School Names New President
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Mother Teresa exhibit opens April 2, anniversary of John Paul II’s death
Ave Maria University’s new Mother Teresa Project Exhibition Hall will open to the public on April
2, 2014. According to new information on its website, this date was selected “in honor of Mother Teresa’s friend, Pope John Paul II, on the ninth anniversary of his entrance into heaven.” The opening had been tentatively slated for the feast of St. Joseph, March 19.
According to its website, the Mother Teresa Project “educates students on the life and unique spirituality of Mother Teresa through a program of study that immerses them in her life and writings.”
Update: Link to the AMU press release.
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Saint Patrick’s Day good news: extended bank hours starting April 21
Leave it to Saint Patrick to give us cause for at least a small celebration on his feast day, even as one of his shamrocks starts to fade from view.
As was previously announced, Shamrock Bank is merging into First National Bank of the Gulf Coast. A FNBGC employee confirmed that the Ave Maria branch will be open Monday through Friday starting April 21, 2014.
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Ave Maria to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day
Every year the Church throughout the world celebrates the feast of Saint Joseph on March 19. Italians are known for celebrating this feast in particular. Our pastor, Father Cory Mayer just happens to be Italian. So this year the parish has several things planned to mark this special feast day.
Wednesday March 19, 2014: At noon Father Mayer will celebrate Mass in the Oratory, after which he will give the traditional blessing of the Saint Joseph bread. By tradition the bread is made from a slightly sweetened dough flavored with anise. This will be followed by a concert of sacred music in the Oratory given by the Southwest Florida Italian Opera Society, featuring Eva Evola, Ellie Roberts, Dino Valle.
Update: at 5:00 p.m. there will be a St. Joseph’s Day table and meal at Donahue Catholic in Ave Maria.
This is how one family in Ave Maria celebrates the day:
Family and friends celebrate a traditional Saint Joseph’s Day table with sfinge (also known as zeppoli), St. Joseph bread, oranges, fennel, eggplant, fish, artichokes and pasta
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Ave Maria Living.com 