Donate "For The Good of Your Soul"
Tue, Jun19, 2007 - Category: University
| Miscellaneous
Here is the verbatim reply card from a May 18, 2007
Ave Maria University fundraising letter signed by Tom
Monaghan (underline and bold
are part of the original):
Dear Mr. Monaghan,
Yes, I will pray, fast and give alms to see Ave Maria University succeed, to do my part to build the Church, for the good of my soul. To become a 2007 Supporter of this life-changing effort, and to receive my free gift, enclosed is [blank].
Giving to Ave Maria...
... for the good of your soul?!
... is doing your part to build the Church?!
... qualifies as alms-giving?! (1,2)
What's next, a revival of Bill Clinton's "New Covenant"?
Additional Church-related excerpts can be seen by clicking below.
Readers of the letter are also struck by the "I's" found in nearly every sentence of the 4-page letter. Despite the ample public criticism that links Ave Maria's problems directly to Monaghan's sole-proprietary (soul-proprietary?) governance, this fundraising letter clearly shows Monaghan's answer to his woes - - even more Monaghan! The reply envelope is even addressed "Attention: Tom Monaghan".
It is difficult to know whether Monaghan is using these faith-laden words as mere rhetorical devices to raise money for his "brand" - a "brand" that capitalizes on an honored reference to The Blessed Virgin - or whether Monaghan is genuinely confusing his white collar for another kind of white collar.
Either explanation is debasing and should give Catholics pause.
Dear Mr. Monaghan,
Yes, I will pray, fast and give alms to see Ave Maria University succeed, to do my part to build the Church, for the good of my soul. To become a 2007 Supporter of this life-changing effort, and to receive my free gift, enclosed is [blank].
Giving to Ave Maria...
... for the good of your soul?!
... is doing your part to build the Church?!
... qualifies as alms-giving?! (1,2)
What's next, a revival of Bill Clinton's "New Covenant"?
Additional Church-related excerpts can be seen by clicking below.
Readers of the letter are also struck by the "I's" found in nearly every sentence of the 4-page letter. Despite the ample public criticism that links Ave Maria's problems directly to Monaghan's sole-proprietary (soul-proprietary?) governance, this fundraising letter clearly shows Monaghan's answer to his woes - - even more Monaghan! The reply envelope is even addressed "Attention: Tom Monaghan".
It is difficult to know whether Monaghan is using these faith-laden words as mere rhetorical devices to raise money for his "brand" - a "brand" that capitalizes on an honored reference to The Blessed Virgin - or whether Monaghan is genuinely confusing his white collar for another kind of white collar.
Either explanation is debasing and should give Catholics pause.
Additional excerpts:
Around the country, I've run into people who have said "Why should I give money to Ave Maria University, when you are already giving so much?" I say, well when you're in Church, and someone puts a big check in the collection basket in front of you, do you put your money back in your pocket? Of course not. What they give has nothing to do with how your contribution can help the Church!
As Catholics, we are called to support the Church with our material resources. ... I have lofty ideas for what I think Ave Maria University can be and hopefully, with your help, will be. But I can't do this alone, and quite honestly never intended to do it by myself.
AW Comment: Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, a member of AMU's Board of Regents; New Yorker Magazine, Feb. 2007, on Monaghan's continual conflict with faculty - "I think Tom is inclined to say, 'This is my business. It's called Ave Maria University, and they're working for me.' And that has some very powerful built-in tensions."
So after various attempts and a lot of research and prayer, and I think through the guidance of Mary, Ave Maria University is in Naples, Florida.
AW Comment: "A lot of research"? Tom Monaghan, Jan. 30, 2007, Marco Civic Island Association - "What's the best place for the school? What's the best place for the church? And I didn't have to think about it. It's Naples. I didn't have to do a marketing study. I"ve been doing demographics of the whole world as a hobby. I knew where the best place in the country was for a school that would attract people from all over the country and all over the world. It's the hottest part of the hottest state - southwestern Florida. And so [garbled] I called Nick Healy up, the President of the College, who was scared to death to talk about this idea - ya' know people don't like to move. And so I said to Nick who was scared "What do you think about moving the campus to Florida?" And I held my breath and he said "That's a GREAT idea!" "
Which brings us back to the surprise I sometimes get. People either say "You're almost 70, why don't you just retire and relax?" Or, they say "You have enough money, why don't you do it all yourself, why ask me for help?"
There is a saying, as the U.S. goes, so goes the world. As you know, the U.S. in this time and place is the superpower with the most possibility of spreading goodness to the most number of people around the globe. But it all begins here at home.
AW Comment: This surreal paragraph is shown in its entirety. Tom Monaghan actually wants us to equate AMU with the U.S. - that AMU has "superpower" prospects for "spreading goodness to the most number of people" - and, as goes AMU, so goes "the world" (the Church)?
So as you see, Ave Maria Univeristy is more than just a school, and if you don't help, you'll never know how much good you could have been a part of.
AW Comment: Too bad AMU isn't "just a school", one with a stable faculty base, a stable student body, a large cadre of loyal parents and donors, a stable campus, and full accreditation after access to vast resources for five years (nine years if you count Ave Maria College, Michigan).
Please, I ask you to pray, fast and contribute today. You won't regret it. In fact, I have great hope that you and I will have an eternity to rejoice in the action we take today.
Sincerely,
Tom Monaghan
Fellow Supporter with you
of Ave Maria University