I wonder how Mormons will fare in Tom Monaghan’s town with a Catholic theme, Ave Maria? As some of you may know, Monaghan is the founder of Domino’s Pizza. He sold the company and was left with a fortune. He has concentrated on projects that fulfill his conservative Catholic vision since then, including a new university, Ave Maria University. His new town, Ave Maria, on the edge of the Everglades, describes itself as a town with a Catholic theme. The linked London Sunday Times story says that means restrictions on the sale of birth control, no pornography and no abortions. Liberal groups are, of course, apoplectic.
My take: after a lot of attention and controversy, the sale of birth control will be permitted. Residents who want abortions will have to travel 20 miles to Naples. I love the idea of no pornography allowed on the local cable system, although I wonder how it will be implemented.
Will a Catholic town try to restrict LDS missionaries from proselytizing? Will other religions not be allowed to have meetinghouses? My guess is that Ave Maria will start out feeling a lot like Provo, Utah, Rexburg, ID and Laie, HI for Catholics. Yes, there will be other religions, and no restrictions on proselytizing, but the majority of people will be conservative Catholics and stay conservative Catholics. Over time, as the community grows, that will likely change.
It’s worth pointing out that just like Rexburg and Laie, Ave Maria will be pretty far from a large metropolitan location, and jobs will be difficult to find. It’s also worth pointing out that the area was economically depressed until the pizza baron came along.
Would I live in Ave Maria as a Latter-day Saint? Probably.