– Legality of opening questioned –
Last Sunday evening, 100 students of Ave Maria University in Florida finally arrived at Mount Melleray in west Waterford to begin their first semester at the newly repurposed study-abroad campus of the Catholic university. Formerly home to Cistercian monks, the site has been renovated and upgraded over the last three months after lying vacant for over a year. The students began their classes on Tuesday.
With faculty included, roughly 120 people will be housed in the premises with male and female students staying in the former hostel and in the former guest lodges, respectively.
According to the university’s website, students will “live and learn in a place built for community: a campus where your dorm, classrooms, chapel, dining hall, library, and faculty and staff are all within the monastery grounds. Days carry a steady rhythm of prayer, coursework, meals, and time outdoors – giving you the structure to grow and the space to breathe”.
Full story in this week’s Print & Digital Edition.
