Fiat Society

On Sunday, September 20, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, celebrated the Opening Mass at Ave Maria University's Mount Melleray Abbey campus, ushering in the University's new chapter in Ireland. 

As AMU's second campus, Mount Melleray Abbey brings the University's Catholic mission to Ireland, where students are now spending the semester in study, prayer, and formation. 

Among those gathered for the historic occasion were Ave Maria University Chancellor Tom Monaghan and President Mark Middendorf, along with students, staff, faculty, alumni, members of the Cistercian order, and residents and dignitaries from County Waterford and across Ireland. 

Reflecting on the University's mission in Ireland, Daniel Schreck, chief strategy and mission advancement officer, said: "We are called to form the intellect and direct the will, but only in broadening the imagination of our students can they truly discover God's abundant calling. This is why we venture to Ireland." 

In his homily, Bishop Cullinan recalled the words from the last Mass celebrated at Mount Melleray in January 2025: "We do not know what the future brings, but God does." 

"Those words have come true," Bishop Cullinan said. "God has done something wonderful here, and how fortunate we are to witness it. This beloved place is open again, and a new chapter begins for Mount Melleray." 

That new chapter builds upon the legacy of the Cistercian monks who arrived at Mount Melleray in 1832 and spent 193 years in prayer, work, and service to the people of the region. 

Bishop Cullinan encouraged those gathered to embrace the new beginning by submitting to God's wisdom and seeking the beauty of His truth in the Cistercian tradition that shaped the Abbey. 

"What we are beginning here is a school of Christian living, at the center of which is the relationship with a person: Jesus," he said. 

He reminded the students that a Catholic university is called to evangelize, first by helping its students grow in love for Christ and then by sending them into the world to share that love with others. 

As the Mass concluded, Bishop Cullinan prayed for God's blessing upon Ave Maria University, Mount Melleray Abbey, the students and staff beginning this new chapter, the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore, and the people of West Waterford. 

As Ave Maria begins this new chapter at Mount Melleray, we are grateful to the benefactors whose prayers and generosity have helped make this expansion possible. 

Watch the full Opening Mass here. 

Ave Maria University Athletics has introduced a new look for Jax, its longtime mascot. 

The design was developed to give Jax a look that reflects both the strength of AMU's athletic programs and the history that defines the University. Every detail carries meaning: Jax's helmet bears the rank of Lance Corporal, honoring Founder and Chancellor Tom Monaghan's service in the United States Marine Corps, and his dog tags carry the AMU monogram, tying the design directly to the University itself. 

"I'm especially excited about the way the new identity celebrates our history," said Elizabeth Feger, associate athletic director for compliance and senior woman leader. "From the nod to Mr. Monaghan's military rank, to the proud collar of a Leatherneck 'Gyrene,' to seeing that fierce Gyrene face come to life through Jax, there are meaningful details built into the brand that were integral to the formation of our founder and connect us to the beginning of our story." 

The branding also reflects the identity AMU Athletics wants to carry forward, Feger said, with student-athletes competing fiercely while representing the University with pride and purpose. 

The updated design will roll out across AMU's athletic programs this season, appearing on uniforms, game-day signage, and team communications. 

"I hope it creates an even stronger sense of pride, belonging, and shared identity across campus," Feger said. "I hope Jax and this new branding will give our student-athletes and coaches something they are proud to represent, while also reminding them of the significance of what they wear. There should be pride in being a Gyrene and a deep appreciation for the honor of representing Ave Maria University." 

"As we continue to grow, I hope this branding becomes something our entire community can rally around, a recognizable symbol of a department that is fierce in competition, unified in purpose, proud of its history, and committed to forming Champions of Christ." 

In a culture that speaks constantly about love but often struggles to define it, Dr. Maria Fedoryka is asking a deeper question: What is love? 

In her new The Pursuit of Wisdom course, “The Philosophy of Love”, Dr. Maria Fedoryka, associate professor of philosophy at Ave Maria University, invites students to consider this profound question and discover love’s central place in the Christian understanding of God, creation, and the human person. 

“We use the word ‘love’ constantly, but Christianity gives us a radically different understanding of what love is,” Fedoryka said. “The Incarnation reveals that love is not simply desire or emotion. It is the gift of oneself for the good of another.”  

Drawing on St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” and the writings of St. Edith Stein, Fedoryka presents creation as an act of love and human existence as a gift, not one that is arbitrary or meaningless but held in the embrace of a good God. 

Perhaps most personally, Fedoryka explores how being loved awakens us to our own goodness, how wounds in love can affect our ability to give and receive love, and how compassion can help bring healing to unresolved suffering. Ultimately, the course points toward the vocation of every person: to make a gift of oneself and to build communities shaped by love. 

Thank you for making it possible for Ave Maria University to share the riches of the Catholic intellectual tradition with people around the world. Your faithful generosity helps make courses like “The Philosophy of Love” available free of charge.