Washington Post Weighs in on Misguided Magnate of Mozzarella
Here:
...The sudden dismissal of the Rev. Joseph Fessio as provost of Ave Maria University sent shock waves through conservative Catholic circles, where he is revered as a defender of orthodoxy. It set off the first-ever student protests at a school that is supposed to be a paragon of obedience to authority.
And it caused backers as well as critics of Monaghan's project to question whether his decision-making style, honed in the business world, is compatible with his self-appointed role as university chancellor.
"Institutional suicide" was the immediate response of Philip F. Lawler, editor of Catholic World News, a conservative online news service, when he learned Wednesday that Monaghan had summoned Fessio to a meeting that morning and told the priest to clean out his office and leave the campus by the end of the day.
Monaghan could use his millions to try to attract a top-flight replacement, Lawler acknowledged. "But," he said, "if you're a tenured professor at another Catholic university and you see this happening, you say to yourself, 'If it could happen to Father Fessio, it could happen to anyone -- so what's my incentive for going to work at Ave Maria?' " ...
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Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Ave Maria to Keep Ex-Provost After Outcry (3 articles)
Understatement of the Day
Moneyman Monaghan's Megalomaniacal Meltdown
Labels: Catholic Education
posted by Pro Ecclesia 10:18 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Jay,
I am a resident of Ann Arbor and know a number of people who have been involved with Tom Monahan's Ave Maria ventures. The Fr. Fessio fiasco is typical of the Ave Maria management problems. However, I think that you do Tom Monahan an injustice by referring to him as "Megalomaniacal". He has been very generous to many Catholic organizations in the Ann Arbor area. It is unfortunate that his impatience and impusive management style overshadow his good intentions.
But I REALLY like alliteration.
;-)
I suppose "misguided" could work in place of "megalomaniacal".
As for Mr. Monaghan's generosity to many Catholic organizations, it was for that reason that I once admired him. It was only after learning that his generosity comes with strings attached (i.e. doing things his way) and involves running roughshod over people like Charles Rice that my opinion of him changed.
I believe Catholics should be held to a higher standard than the usual empire-building practices of the corporate world.
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