How Catholic is Catholic?

[katfife]

I know that Ave Maria is a Catholic school... but I was curious as to just how Catholic the student body is.  I know that when we all apply that info is optional so the school just gave me a rough guestimate.  I was just curious if anyone out there had any insight or was wondering the same thing???  Thanks

[panahi]

Hey,

I am going to Ave Maria, and I am not a Catholic. I do agree with Catholicism. However, I lean more towards the science side of understanding.

[katfife]

panahi~
since you don't lean towards the Catholic side of things, what about the right vs. left?  i know ave maria is known for being conservative (duh) but i am def. not... you?

[scottys]

I am planning on going there in the fall too.  I would consider my self to lean a little towards being a liberal.  I have a lot of conservative catholic friends and most aren't so conservative that it is unbearable.  I talked to someone who graduated from there last year and she was friendly and explained that it wasn't that bad.  Then she compared it to BYU and I almost hung up.  Apparrently because I am from Southern Idaho she thought I was mormon.

Scott

[katfife]

LOL that is rather amusing... thanks, i needed a laugh today.  k, so i'm not so much diggin the comparison to BYU, i know too many horror stories about getting busted for having pizza and coke in the dorm room... lol.  but the semi-conservative idea is fine.  i'm a middle of the roader, one of those irritating people who likes just about any law... but only if it can be changed   never a straight answer, maybe i'll do alright in politics after all

[panahi]

Kat,

I lean towards the Panahi side. I've been told that I'm old fashioned. I beleive that we should make progress, be diverse, be open minded (to the extent that we may be extremely conservative if need be), and try as many things as we can in our lives. I mainly beleive in seeing the good in what people do.

I like how conservatives beleive strongly in definite morals. I think that there is a lot of value in that kind of discipline.

I visited Ave Maria earlier this week and the school is really neat. The main differences I noticed between AveMaria and my almamater (University of Texas: EE) that the building is newer. The people are friendly and sophisticated, as are the people all over Ann Arbor. I was genuinely impressed.

[panahi]

Recently on an announcement from the Academic Dean,
it was said that the school is not a conservative school. It is a Catholic School.

My experience has been that people are mostly conservative, although that seems to mean a lot of different things to different people. I am so not sensitive about political thought, unless I just happen to be grumpy that day, that I really don't notice these kinds of things. But I haven't noticed anything peculiar. They do hold mass regularly, and the speakers that talk with us are generally conservatives. But I don't thionk its planned. I think they just choose who they woukld really like to have speak, not like some conservative agenda.

[be10dwn]

I think BECAUSE it is Catholic Ave Maria can't be considered to be so conservative.  If you think about it some of the most forward thinkers and those that believe in charity and compassion have been Catholic.  Ignatious Loyola and the Jesuits come to my mind.