From Mount Manresa to Mount Mohammed?

So, the disobedient and dishonest Jesuits at Mt. Manresa, who were publicly crowing last year about their dubiously glorious future, knowing full well that they were bankrupt, are selling the undeniably glorious Mt. Manresa for 15.9 million dollars. (Seriously, why not just say 16 million? Are they trying to sell socks at a five & dime shop?) So, now this treasure of the Church will pass into the hands of Caesar (i.e., the State) or Mammon (i.e. Staten Island's vulgarian real estate developers) to be, in either case, transformed into some version of social and architectural Gehenna, one possibility being a refuse pit of revolting, identical townhouse as far as the eye can see, or the dumping ground for New York City's problem children- Section 8 housing for the criminally insane perhaps? Or maybe, our religious rivals will jump at yet another opportunity to desecrate the holy places of Christ. Mount Manresa would make a great headquarters for the Muslem American Society, who were temporarily thwarted in their attempt to take over the convent at St. Margaret Mary. 16 million dollars really isn't that difficult an amount to raise for such a prolific, influential and politically-protected people. I can see it now: "Mt. Mohammed", where aspiring Islamic "freedom fighters" use the leftover crucifixes and statues of Mary for target practice!

Shrinking Moore?

Moore Catholic High School recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. No, the goonish student body did not mark the occasion by any sort of vandalism, rioting or debauchery, as they are wont to do. It was just the usual round of back-slapping and self-congratulatory accolades by the faculty. In fact, they celebrated with a $150 per head gala dinner in September. What caught my eye from the article was the fact that the student body, which once numbered 1000 students, is now down to 500 which is odd considering that the population of Staten Island is exploding and Moore is still located in an all-White, upper-middle-class neighborhood, unlike St. Peter's girls school, which recently fell victim to the 50 year demographic murder of the North Shore. So, why the slump in enrollment at Moore? Is it simply the astronomical cost to attend the school, or is it yet another sign of Staten Island Catholics' ongoing apostasy and rejection of the Church?

Countess Mary Young Moore