Ave Maria Living.com
Ave Maria, Florida – the town with a Catholic heart.©™ Stories & information for residents & visitors.Archive for Ave Maria blog
Wow: this is what growth in SW Florida’s top community looks like
Ave Maria’s boom-town status is now undeniable, as it moves to the top of the list of single family communities in the red hot Naples-Fort Myers market (based on number of home sales).
So hot, in fact, that there’s a new fire station coming to Ave Maria.
These two aerial photos taken in 2014 and 2015 show the growth in just one of the booming areas of town where the Hampton Village and Maple Ridge neighborhoods are located.
These are the sales in Ave Maria’s Maple Ridge & Hampton Village in 2014
These are the sales in Ave Maria’s Maple Ridge & Hampton Village in 2015
Robb Klucik has lived with his family in Ave Maria since it opened in 2007. In addition to running his law practice in Ave Maria, Robb edits this blog, administers a Facebook forum for 1000 Ave Maria residents, serves as a director of the West Point Society of Naples, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
Comments off
McTeigue: The Annunciation is our icon of what our lives should look like
Annunciation by Ave Maria artist Cornelius Sullivan.
When was the Culture of Life first proclaimed against the culture of death? It could be said that the Culture of Life began with John Paul’s encyclical, “Evangelium Vitae,” promulgated in 1995. It could also be said that the Culture of Life began in 1973, in response to the Supreme Court ruling on Roe vs. Wade. It might even be said that the Culture of Life was inaugurated by Pope Paul VI in 1968, with his encyclical “Humanae Vitae.” You could make a good case for any one of those claims.
Here’s an easier question: When was Ave Maria University founded? Well, depending upon how one counts such things, we can say that Ave Maria University is looking forward to soon celebrating its twelfth anniversary. That is true, but it is not quite correct.
I think that Ave Maria University, and the Culture of Life which it serves, were both inaugurated at the Annunciation, the great solemnity we are celebrating today. At that moment, when the Providence of God met the humility of Mary, human life was given an identity, a dignity and a destiny that the pagans of the ancient world could not have imagined, and which the modern world cannot match or even comprehend. In that moment, in the “fiat,” in the “yes” with which Mary responded to the Archangel Gabriel, the horrifying power of sin and the culture of death it spawned, began to be broken.
Consider this lovely image from Saint Irenaeus. He wrote: “Eve, by her disobedience, tied the knot of disgrace for the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, undid it“. Our Blessed Mother, by her love, trust and obedience, cooperated with God so that within her very body, the seed of the Culture of Life took root.
We here at Ave Maria, love and serve the Culture of Life begun at the Annunciation; we here at Ave Maria, in opposition to the culture of death which is devouring both human bodies and human souls, wish to imitate the love, trust and obedience of Mary. In imitation of our Blessed Mother, we too wish to cooperate with the saving plan of God. We want to say “yes” to what God would do with us, body and soul. That is why this glorious Solemnity of the Annunciation, a cause of joy for all Catholics, is held especially dear to us here at Ave Maria. The Annunciation is for us here at Ave Maria our icon, our charter and our measure.
Márton Váró’s iconic Annunciation relief in Ave Maria, Florida.
The Annunciation is our icon, for it helps us to see what our lives should look like—a humble, grateful and fruitful trusting of God’s Power and Providence. The Annunciation is our charter, for Mary’s “fiat”, her “yes” to the work of God must be echoed and implemented by us here. And the Annunciation is our measure, for we can only judge our success or failure by our obedience to the call of God.
Today, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the patronal feast of Ave Maria University, let’s pray for three graces, three special blessings. Let’s pray to be alert—alert to the promptings of the divine messengers sent our way, as Mary was. Let’s pray to be obedient—obedient to the workings of Divine Providence, as Mary was. And let’s pray to be fruitful—fruitful stewards of the amazing grace entrusted to our care. If we do that, if we pray and live to be alert, obedient and fruitful, then we can both echo and imitate Mary at the inauguration of the Culture of Life and say, “May it be done to me according to your word.”
Ave Maria University’s Father Robert McTeigue, S.J., preached this homily during Mass for the Solemnity of the Feast of the Annunciation, which is the patronal feast of the town of Ave Maria, the parish of Ave Maria Oratory, and Ave Maria University. Father McTeigue is currently finishing a collection of homilies and essays on preaching entitled, I Have Someone to Tell You: A Jesuit Heralds the Gospel. He recently began writing a weekly column. Father McTeigue earnestly seeks your prayers that his life and work be to God’s greater glory.
Comments off
The Annunciation – Cornelius Sullivan on Márton Váró’s magnum opus
The Annunciation, with Sculptor Márton Váró, Ave Maria, Florida
Ave Maria, FL, March 25, 2015 – The Blessed Virgin Mary strides forward breaking the confines of the sculptural relief format. That is only one original aspect of this Annunciation.
Márton Váró is a figurative sculptor who understands beauty and he is experienced in showing the beauty of women.
The scene is a break from the traditional Virgin figures who are shown passively reading or praying. Often she would be shown surprised. Here, her pose indicates that this may be after her fiat, after her yes. Váró’s Virgin is a substantial figure who is strong and active. We may read her expression not as surprised but as inspired.
The Archangel Gabriel kneels respectfully before the Virgin Mary. We may imagine that as Gabriel left on his mission he may have asked, “Should I kneel?” Perhaps God responded, “Artists might show you kneeling, or on your toes, or in the air. Don’t worry you will know what to do.”
Sometimes Artists compress time to tell a complete narrative. Gabriel is speaking and Mary has already said yes. It is in the nature of relationships on earth, that there must be a back and forth, and therefore there is always waiting. We may guess that there was a moment when heaven and earth waited for her yes.
The two other innovative qualities of this sculpture are, first that the sculptor is a Direct Carver and every inch of the marble relief was touched by his hands.
Secondly, the work was completed on site and the whole community became a part of the creative process.
The normal procedure for a project of this magnitude would be for a small two foot model of the design be sent to Carrara or Pietrasanta, Italy where it would be enlarged and carved by artisans. With some luck you could have it resembling the model in a general way in a few years. There would be no guarantee that what looked good at two feet would work at thirty five feet. In Ave Maria the sculptor alone began and completed this sculpture and he also supervised the installation.
The church is in the center of the town of Ave Maria in Florida. It dominates the main piazza like a European Cathedral, a Duomo, and it faces Ave Maria University. The church, the town, and the university are all dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Annunciation takes up a very large proportion of the “cathedral”, the Oratory. The art is both traditional and innovative and it signifies that the building is a Roman Catholic Church.
The sculpture saves the odd Post Modern building that kids call a space ship and that has been compared to an airplane hanger. Its silhouette, front and back, resembles a Bishop’s mitre. The architectural vocabulary of the Oratory, employing both masonry and steel, is a mixed metaphor, not having a particular style. The project did not have an architect, it was the vision of a businessman executed by engineers with no regard to the cannons of traditional Catholic Church architecture with its vocabulary of arches and domes and religious art designed for the inside of the church as well as the outside. It is recognizable now as a church because of The Annunciation sculpture.
A parishioner objected to my characterization of the Oratory as an odd Post Modern building. In teaching at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the School of Architecture, I was required to define terms and understand movements such as Post Modernism. That does not mean that I don’t love the church. It is my church too. Sacraments are lived there.
In The Annunciation the beauty of the message and the beauty of the sculptural form are one and work together.
Lest anyone think that art like this is extravagant I remind them of a sentence by Pope Benedict that proclaims the truth that art is essential to the Church.
The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments, namely, the saints the Church has produced and the art which has grown in her womb. – Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, The Ratzinger Report, Messori, 1988.
On any given day you can see small groups of people in the remote location on the edge of the Florida Everglades taking pictures of The Annunciation of The Blessed Virgin Mary. Those photographs will subsequently go around the world.
Márton Váró worked for long hours each day in public before the whole community. Covered with white marble dust, (and “looking like a baker” as Leonardo da Vinci said of Michelangelo) he would stop and answer questions for students and pilgrims. When asked at a discussion forum, when the work was nearing completion, if the Virgin Mary had communicated anything special to him, he responded, “Yes, she said keep working.”
* * *
Click here to see an image of the unfinished side angels and to read more about the Ave Maria Oratory and The Annunciation.
Cornelius Sullivan, MFA, is a prolific writer, painter, engraver, sculptor, art historian and lecturer whose work – even his non-religious work – reflects his Catholic faith. He has taught at several universities including the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and currently is an adjunct at Ave Maria University. For years Cornelius has been part of the fabric of life in Ave Maria. His art and writing can be discovered at www.SullivanArt.com
Comments off
No Surprise: Ave Maria is a rapidly growing traditional college town with a Catholic heart
Those who haven’t been paying attention might not realize just how nice Ave Maria is and why it has attracted several hundreds of homebuyers in the past two years. The latest video about the town is very well done. It hits all the points. The tag line is: “Ave Maria. Life. Made Simple.”
And it’s all true. Ave Maria is a rapidly growing traditional college town with something for all ages and for everyone who loves family, friends, faith, sports, art, education and old fashioned hometown values. And one drive or stroll through town will help you see that Ave Maria is the town with a Catholic heart. And, as the video reminds us, Ave Maria has 100 miles of trails!
Ave Maria is the home of Ave Maria University, the Donohue Catholic prep school, the Ave Maria Montessori School and a homeschool co-op. The town is also home to Arthrex‘s large (and expanding) medical device factory, as well as many other businesses including a Publix grocery store. Five health care providers offer services in town: the Braden Clinic offers primary care physician appointments onsite five days a week and can also make house calls, Ave Maria Chiropractic provides services in town, physical therapy is offered by ResultsCare, dental and orthodontic services are offered by Ave Maria Dentistry, and massage therapy is offered 5 days a week via house call or at the Oasis Club by Ave Maria Massage.
Recently Ave Maria was named one of the top 50 master planned communities in the country, and was also named one of the top 20 communities for those who are retiring.
Robb Klucik has lived with his family in Ave Maria since it opened in 2007. In addition to running his law practice in Ave Maria, Robb edits this blog, administers a facebook forum for 1000 Ave Maria residents, serves as the President of the West Point Society of Naples, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
Comments off
McTeigue: We are called to a conflict that is at once constant, universal, and inevitable
Do you want to hear a story? In the early 20th century, a group of Anglican missionaries decided that they would imitate Jonah, and call towns and villages to conversion. They decided to go to rural China to carry out their plan. They went from place to place, standing in the center of gatherings of people. They attracted a lot of attention, because, in rural China in the early twentieth century, these missionaries of the Church of England were clearly rare, foreign, and exotic. Then they would read John 3:16 out loud and ask if anyone wanted to be baptized. They never got any takers. The missionaries would leave, disheartened, wondering why Jonah was able to call the entire city of Nineveh to conversion, and they could not get one single convert.
These well-intentioned missionaries overlooked one factor. The Chinese people they met in China spoke Chinese; the missionaries were announcing the gospel in English. They were announcing something that no one but they themselves could understand, and act upon.
That story got me to thinking about understanding and hearing. I’ve seen parents stand at the edge of a playground that’s occupied by dozens of screaming kids, and they can pick out the voice of their own child and filter out the words and yells of all the other kids. I don’t know how that works.
Comments off
McTeigue: Goals, resources and allies in the battle to restore the male soul (all present in Ave Maria)
In his latest column, Father Robert McTeigue “identif[ies] assets both spiritual and natural that we can bring to bear in this great struggle for men.” Father sent AveMariaLiving.com a note requesting that we link readers to it because in it he favorably mentions the town of Ave Maria, Florida. This is the second of three columns in which McTeigue addresses the cultural and spiritual battle for the male soul. The first column described “some of the academic, legal, social, cultural and economic forces arrayed against men as men, and pointed to [the battle’s] spiritual root.” In the upcoming third column he will “describe a concrete plan of life for the cultivation of authentic masculinity, addressing a man’s role as pilgrim, warrior and king.” The fourth column will discuss distinctively Christian friendship among men.
UPDATE:
1st column in this series: Modern culture has declared war on masculinity.
2nd column in this series: Goals, resources and allies in the battle to restore the male soul.
3rd column in this series: Male role models from Scripture, not GQ.
4th column in this series: Distinctively Christian friendship among men.
Comments off
Capital campaign underway for Oratory parish center (link to give online)
Recently Father Cory Mayer, Parish Administrator of the Ave Maria Quasi-Parish, announced a new capital campaign to establish a parish center on Annunciation Circle next to the Oratory. The goal is to raise $250,000.00, and at this point the parish is about $62,000.00 short of that goal. According to the campaign brochure:
By providing a place for fellowship, faith formation classes and presentations, parish group meetings and more, we can better fulfill our mission to build the kingdom of God in and through our Parish Community.
The projected Parish Center will have 1,716 square feet of space and include a main hall, accommodating 100, a reception area, lavatories and storage. It will have a serving section, tables and chairs, but no food preparation facilities.
The parish has established a link where donations to the capital campaign can be made online: https://avemariaoratory.weshareonline.org/
Comments off
Everything old is new again: a simple gift for readers on this Gaudete Sunday
The Mass is the source and summit of Christian life. It is both worship and a re-presentation of His gift to us of salvation. As a thank you to the readers of this blog, we are passing along a free treat that would make a great stocking stuffer. The original source is here. While this obviously would be nice for children, it is also very informative for adults. Perfect for altar boys or catechumens or people who simply love to learn about our faith. We combined the images into one pdf booklet that you can download and print on sturdy paper. Gaudete!
Comments off
Birdseye view of Ave Maria
This aerial image of Ave Maria was taken in late July by the friend of some town residents.
Comments off
Hobby Lobby case of great interest to Ave Maria
The Supreme Court’s decision in the Hobby Lobby HHS mandate case was today’s big news. The court held that closely held corporations (ones without a lot of shareholders) have religious freedom to refuse to pay for abortion and birth control for their employees due to the religious beliefs of those who control the corporation. Many residents, students, faculty and others associated with the Ave Maria projects and Ave Maria, Florida, are closely following the outcome. These are some of the cases that will be impacted by today’s decision (although the impact on non-profit corporations is still not clear):
For Profit:
- Legatus/Weingartz Supply Co. (E.D. Mich. Dec. 20, 2013) – Legatus was founded by Ave Maria founder Tom Monaghan and its headquarters is located in Ave Maria, Florida.
- Domino’s Farms (E.D. Mich. Mar. 14, 2013) – Domino’s Farms was built and is owned by Ave Maria founder Tom Monaghan.
- Mersino Management (E.D. Mich. July 11, 2013) – Attorney is Ave Maria School of Law alumna Erin Mersino, whose parents-in-law are the plaintiffs. Law firm is Thomas More Law Center, which was founded by Ave Maria founder Tom Monaghan.
- Mersino Dewatering (E.D. Mich.filed Dec. 13, 2013) – Attorney is Ave Maria School of Law alumna Erin Mersino, whose parents-in-law are the plaintiffs. Law firm is Thomas More Law Center, which was founded by Ave Maria founder Tom Monaghan.
Non-profit:
- Ave Maria University (M.D. Fla. filed Aug. 29, 2013)
- Ave Maria School of Law (M.D. Fla. filed Nov. 12, 2013)
- Ave Maria Foundation (E.D. Mich. Jan. 13, 2014)
- FOCUS (D. Colo. Apr. 23, 2014) – Fellowship of Catholic University Students is a lay ministry movement that has recently been holding its annual summer training in Ave Maria and has a missionary team on campus (FOCUS is independent and is not otherwise associated with Ave Maria).
- Franciscan University (S.D. Ohio Mar. 22, 2013) – Many of the people who founded Ave Maria College and University had ties to FSU, including Tom Monaghan and Nick Healy. Many alumni and friends of FSU are also part of the Ave Maria projects.
As a side note, one of the foremost commentators on the HHS mandate and religious liberty issues is Matt Bowman, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund who is an alumnus of Ave Maria School of Law.
Comments off
Ave Snapshots: Classics does Rome, and a somewhat Chaucerian pilgrimage in Padua
Summer can be a nice time for some armchair traveling. Vicarious journeys are a lot less stressful and expensive – and so easy to enjoy now that seemingly everyone lifeblogs in some way (even Classics people).
Someone with close ties to Ave Maria is having a nice time in Italy “on a somewhat Chaucerian pilgrimage” in Padua.
While elsewhere Classics students at Ave Maria University enjoy the privilege of a curated journey through Rome.
Comments off
Our neighbor Novak’s deft reply to New York Times’ attempt to pit Pope Francis against Pope Saint John Paul II
Queerly, the New York Times seems to be advocating that papal pronouncements ought to influence culture and public policy, and in that vein has posed this question and then published five responses:
Jesus drove money changers out of the Temple, calling them “a den of thieves.” Of the profit-centric world view, Pope Francis warned, “We can no longer trust in the unseen forces and the invisible hand of the market,” to provide economic justice. Others call Christianity and capitalism inextricable. Is contemporary capitalism compatible with Christian values?
Novak presents shirt reading “Centisimus Annus” to Pope Saint John Paul II – click to see it and other photos at Novak’s website
Interestingly, that setup by the Times ignores how Pope Saint John Paul II described capitalism in the magisterial encyclical Centisumus Annus:
… an economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as well as free human creativity in the economic sector … circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it at the service of human freedom in its totality.
But Michael Novak did not let the Times get away with that omission (or the Times’ lame attempt to pit Pope Francis against his canonized predecessor John Paul); Novak’s is one of the five published responses, and it begins with the saint’s definition and discusses why capitalism is the most moral of the economic systems. It is worth reading.
POLL: In what Catholic groups or movements are you involved here in Ave Maria?
Please take the poll, which closes after one week. You can add groups if yours isn’t listed. If you would like a group or movement to start meeting in Ave Maria, please list that in the comments.
Comments off
8 things to click: a click-worthy Ave Maria update
It’s May June. We’re all so busy. Here is a quick and dirty mash-up of things of note for Ave Marians (and those who love us):
1. For the past few years, Sister Albert Marie, OP, DSMME, has been a graduate Theology student at AMU. On Friday she will present her doctoral thesis. All are invited. Click the flyer for details.
2. On Friday the Donahue Catholic Shamrock 8-man football team played a spring game. This was the first game since losing in the Florida state title game, and the first game playing without 12 seniors who were on that team. The boys won 20 to 14.
3. Our former neighbor and friend, the always compelling Joseph Pearce, gave a lecture in the UK on the delicious things about which he always writes and talks. AMU Classics and Philosophy professor Joseph Yarbrough was kind enough to draw my attention to the podcast of it. Pearce talks about the Second Spring, a reference to the Traditional Latin Mass, which he explains through a chain of references to Coleridge, Newman, Hopkins, Wilde, Chesterton, Belloc, Greene, Waugh, Lewis and Tolkein (are you hungry yet?).
4. The joy of having the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist here in town is temporarily tempered by the farewells that inevitably come each June when the Sisters depart for summer assignments. For some, the departure also marks the end of their assignment in Ave Maria, as it does this year for Sister Teresa Benedicta and Sister Mary Martha, who have been teaching at Donahue Catholic. Sister Teresa Benedicta has been teaching high school theology for the past five years, and next year she will be at a high school in San Francisco. Sister Mary Martha has been teaching in the grammar school for just one year, and next year she will be teaching in Peoria. Make sure you say goodbye and wish them well in their new assignments.
Comments off
Thanks and Please
This blog is a labor of love, done out of appreciation for and as a service to Ave Maria and the people of Ave Maria. There is no revenue (zero) – it actually costs a little cash to maintain the web address and domain hosting (maybe someday there will be ad revenue but not yet). Thanks to you, for the past four months this blog has been viewed an average of 7000 times per month.
If you like what’s here, please consider doing one or all of the following 10 things:
1. Like us on facebook.
Ave Maria’s Paul Adams: To aim at virtue and fall short does not a hypocrite make
Ave Maria is teeming with thoughtful writers, scholars and bloggers. Our neighbor and friend Paul Adams is an impressively-credentialed scholar (MA from Oxford, PhD from Berkeley) and convert whose writing is always edifying.
Today he has written about the absurd yet common phenomenon of Christians being called “hypocrite” in internet com boxes because they sin. Here is an excerpt:
Comments off
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.
Comments off
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
Comments off
Newsflash: Ave Maria is Normal
Ave Maria University: Normal?
Every year or so somebody writes a summary about how the Ave Maria project – town and university – is progressing. While the most recent such article appearing in Gulfshore Life seems to start with that broad aim by recapping some history, it ends up focusing only on Ave Maria University. If you don’t have time to read it yourself, here are some highlights along with article quotations from each of the people shown in the photos:
Comments off
Art: AMU alum John Broadhead’s “Reflection Films”
This is the animated logo for Reflection Films, a project of AMU alumnus John Broadhead.
Pretty sweet, huh? If you click around and watch, you will soon realize John is a real film maker. An artist even. You can check out Reflection Films’ latest project below, and maybe you will want to help fund the project (click).
Comments off
What’s up at Ave Maria University?
The 3rd Annual AMU Scholarship Dinner was held on Feb. 20, 2014 at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples.
Someone in the know had this to say:
The whole video is great: Cog Audino juggling during Jim Towey’s speech, Myra’s passion about the Performing Arts Center, and everything. But if you really want the goods, check out Travis’ troupe at 1:50 when Andrew Olson, Michael Stewart, Nicholas Robert George Ciavarra, John C Miller, Peter Atkinson, and Andrew Heim rock out to One Direction.
Comments off
RUGBY: Ave Maria University Wins its First State Championship
Click: very important message from Papist Rugby Club.
submitted by John Audino
[Editor’s note: In support of this great effort of Catholic sportsmen, the Alex Klucik Memorial Fund is pleased to pledge $100 to the fundraising efforts of the Papist Rugby Club.]
True to form and to their authentically Catholic fervor, the lads took a knee … witnesses to the glory of the day to offer that glory up to the God Who made them and to His most Holy Mother, the patroness of their alma mater.
On Saturday, March 8th, the Ave Maria University Papists Rugby team took to the road in hopes of finishing off a first ever undefeated season. With a storybook rematch against the University of North Florida standing between AMU and glory, the stage was set for a dramatic season finale.
Comments off
New in Town: Ave Maria Car Wash
Last month a custom car wash opened at the Mobil station in Ave Maria.
They have a facebook page, which offers this information about their services:
Comments off
Invitation from Sister John Paul: Youth 2000 in Ave Maria
The wise and wonderful Sister John Paul, O.P. (DSMME), wants everyone (especially students who mi
ght not have heard yet) to know about the upcoming Youth 2000 event. It is sponsored by Rhodora J. Donahue Academy of Ave Maria and will take place in the Ave Maria University ballroom. There is a requested fee, but scholarships are available to all who ask (just write “partial/full scholarship requested” on the application).
Forms are below. Here is the note that Sister sent me:
Comments off
Sunset – last night in Ave Maria
Who remembers the sky-blue pink crayon in the big green and yellow Crayola box (with the sharpener on the back)?
Photo by Linda, an Ave Maria resident.
Comments off
Sharing Ave Maria 16,000 times in One Year
The graphic below shows our website traffic statistics for the last 365 days. If you like what we are doing here to provide people with information about Ave Maria, then please let your friends know about us. We can always use a boost.
For the las
t seven days the statistics are even better – we had almost 1300 page views in just one week:
Comments off
Ave Maria: this is who we are
Road trip to the Mother House in Ann Arbor. Our daughter met the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist back there when she was one of their students from 2000 to 2003. She was reacquainted with the Sisters in 2007 at their mission convent in Ave Maria where five Sisters live in our neighborhood (3 of them teach at the amazing Catholic K-12 school in town). In 2012 she became a postulant and she is now a Novice.
Comments off
Mother Teresa at the Ritz
AMU had its big gala tonight (at the Ritz). The legendary Myra Daniels (may God bless her and this project more and more) and President Towey seem well-positioned to raise the millions needed for the new performing arts theater and Mother Teresa museum. I am a big supporter of this very worthy project, which will be about 300 yards from my front porch. But I couldn’t stop laughing at the first sentence of this story (close your eyes and imagine a wrinkled Sister in a white sari tapping her toes to the music):
Click to read the original article’s first sentence
which brought this book to mind:
Monsignor Albacete’s book “God at the Ritz” is excellent (if you live in town I’ll loan it to you)
UPDATE: As ever, the Ave Herald has the best coverage of the gala:
“You have blessed me by giving me the chance to do this,” Mrs. Daniels said. “This is the most exciting thing I have done. It’s needed, it’s wanted, and it will change the life of the students.”
and of the dedication of the temporary home of the Mother Teresa Museum:
Sr. Lima Marie told the group, “I really feel the presence of Mother here. Anyone who visits won’t be the same person when they come out of this room.”
Comments off
We are AVE MARIA
My neighbors and I are wonderfully created fallen people hoping in the promises of Christ our Redeemer, Who came to dwell in our midst after the angel said “Hail Mary, full of grace!”
Sometimes we look a lot like the cast of not-so-pleasant characters in this leaf from an ancient book of hours. Yet we carry on, trusting in God’s grace – the same grace that filled Mary and that she wants us to know.
That’s who lives here in Ave Maria – and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Comments off
Things to do in Ave Maria
There’s always something going on in Ave Maria. Here are some suggestions. And the Herald is always worth a look:
Comments off
Save this: Ave Maria HOA Contact and Amenity Information
Do you ever wonder which HOA person you can call? Do you have a number but not the best number? Do you really need to send an email instead, but you can’t find the address of that particular HOA person? Here is a list of all the HOA and Amenity contact information in two formats:
As a PDF file you can print and also save on your phone or computer so you can just click the phone number, email addresses and web addresses:
And as an image you can print:
Comments off
Location of the new Ave Maria Center for Truth, Beauty and Goodness* and Mother Teresa Museum
For those who are curious, we have pieced together exactly where the Ave Maria Center f
or Truth, Beauty and Goodness* will be located. Today AMU issued a press release with this site plan:
According to the clues provided in the Ave Herald, we can overlay the site plan onto the official county map of Ave Maria to see exactly where AMU plans to build the performing arts center and Mother Teresa museum:
[*not its real name]
Comments off
Ave Marians Who Blog
Please let me know of any other blogs related to Ave Maria.
http://philosophy.avemaria.edu
http://Stein-Center.org
http://AlexofAveMaria.com
http://blog.avemaria.edu
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/barefootandpregnant/
http://ethicsculture.blogspot.com
http://janebubnis.wordpress.com
http://johnsonmissionaryfamily.wordpress.com
http://michaelnovak.net/blog
http://michaelpakaluk.com
http://MidnightKitchen.wordpress.com
http://economicsandvirtue.wordpress.com
http://mirielmargaret.blogspot.com
http://www.singtheswingset.com
http://theflyingseminarian.blogspot.com
http://thepraetorium.com
http://WorldSlices.wordpress.com
Comments off
Incense: Blogging about Ave Maria circa 2007
Seven years ago some of us were blogging about Ave Maria. An archive of hopes and expectations. 
Comments off
Ave Maria Odyssey to the Dry Tortugas
What: 100-mile sailing voyage from Naples Harbor to Dry Tortugas (and 100-mile return trip)
Vessel: 36 foot sailboat Jubilee, federally registered with home port of Ave Maria, Florida
When: May 10 – May 14, 2013
Skipper: Captain Bob Campbell, owner of the Jubilee
Crew: Drew Emmans, Jim Fox, John Fox (with 2 college friends Steve & Mark), Darryl Klein, Robb Klucik, John-Paul Klucik, Tim Moore, and Sam Moore
Comments off
Ave Maria Living.com 