Ave Maria.

Ave Maria is more than a song.

It's a distinctive new law school dedicated to "offer[ing] an outstanding legal education in fidelity to the Catholic Faith as expressed through Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the teaching authority of the Church." (here.)

Launched in 2000, Ave Maria School of Law has already garnered full American Bar Association accreditation--in the shortest possible time (here). Its first class scored the highest bar passage rate in Michigan--eclipsing U. of M. (here). Among its other distinctives: Judge Bork serves on the faculty.

The school may become even more distinctive.

"Mr. Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza and the school's principal benefactor, has announced plans to build a large Catholic university outside Naples, Fla., along with a residential community. Will the law school move to Naples too, from Ann Arbor? The school's dean, Bernard Dobranski, acknowledges that the board is 'open to consideration of the idea.'

***

"A May 2004 speech by Mr. Monaghan, given at a conference on business ethics, would seem to confirm this speculation. 'We'll own all commercial real estate,' Mr. Monaghan declared, describing his vision. 'That means we will be able to control what goes on there. You won't be able to buy a Playboy or Hustler magazine in Ave Maria Town. We're going to control the cable television that comes in the area. There is not going to be any pornographic television in Ave Maria Town. If you go to the drug store and you want to buy the pill or the condoms or contraception, you won't be able to get that in Ave Maria Town.'"

(Via OpinionJournal.)