An Update on Montreat's New Lodge Project

An Update on the New Lodge Project Last month, a unanimous ruling from the North Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a trial court decision that set aside a Special Use Permit for the Mountain Retreat Association (MRA, dba Montreat Conference Center). The Court of Appeals ruling restored the Special Use Permit that the Town of Montreat had granted the conference center to build a new lodge on its campus. You can read the court’s 48-page ruling here. On Wednesday, we were notified that the neighbors opposing our project have filed a petition to the North Carolina Supreme Court for discretionary review of the Court of Appeals decision. The petition asks that the state’s highest court take up the case. If the petition is granted, the case will proceed to a full briefing and argument.   In response, we will of course defend our right to build, and our argument will have the strength of the record in this case. The Appeals Court substantively addressed every argument raised by the project's opponents and ruled that the Town’s Board of Adjustments had properly resolved all contested facts. While defending the decision will be costly, we believe it is necessary to protect the conference center’s property rights. Also worth defending is the Court of Appeals’ affirmation of the integrity and legitimacy of the town’s process. In this week’s filing, our opponents continued to question the motives and decisions of Montreat citizens who volunteered in good faith to serve on the Board of Adjustment.   Meanwhile, we are moving forward with our plans. We are confident in the scholarship of the Court of Appeals' decision. Furthermore, the need for new lodging is real and grows with each passing day. Remember that the Town of Montreat granted the Special Use Permit for a new lodge in January of 2022. In the intervening years, we have continued to receive wide support in the community and from our broader constituency.   We are committed to working with all Montreaters to fulfill the promise of this most important project. We will keep you informed as we move forward. More to come, Richard DuBose, President Montreat Conference Center Montreat Conference Center, a ministry of the Mountain Retreat Association, is a national conference center located in Western North Carolina with roots in the PC(USA). Learn more at www.montreat.org.

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byFaith Magazine - Learning Christ in Leviticus

Learning Christ in Leviticus By Will Bankston In “Enacting Atonement," Roy McDaniel carries on the spirit of Westminster by refusing to divide that which should be kept together. READ NOW

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Special Report: Can Catholic Universities Stay Catholic?

Can Catholic Universities Stay Catholic? Catholic colleges and universities once stood at the heart of Catholic intellectual life, but in an RNS special report on the mission and identity of Catholic schools, educators said financial pressures, shrinking theology programs and declining faith have left their institutions at a crossroads. Can these mainstays of the faith stay true to their Catholic roots as their campuses grow more religiously diverse—and is that identity still vital to their survival? Our investigation resulted in the half dozen stories linked below, and was capped by a virtual roundtable featuring Heidi Schlumpf, St. Thomas University President Robert K. Vischer, Trinity Washington University President Patricia McGuire, and moderated by as Religion News Service Editor-in-Chief Paul O’Donnell.

When Catholic colleges cut theology majors, what happens to Catholic identity? Just 63% of Catholic higher education institutions have theology or religious studies departments, down from 69% in 2016. Keep reading → Catholic universities search for tricky balance on Trump anti-DEI push Many Catholic university leaders are trying to thread the needle between staying under the Trump administration’s radar and framing their work with marginalized students as grounded in their Catholic identities. Keep reading → Conservative Catholic colleges growing as families opt for ‘faithful’ schools Several ‘trad Catholic’ schools have shown surprising financial strength in a time when other small colleges are struggling. Keep reading → Latinos are underrepresented in Catholic higher ed. These schools are trying to change that. Latinos’ absence on Catholic campuses, experts say, impacts their representation in church leadership as well as among influential Catholics in secular society. Keep reading → Celebrating its first century, Xavier University of Louisiana perseveres as Catholic HBCU ‘Being rooted in faith is what leads us to be resilient,’ said the president of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament on Xavier’s Founder’s Day. Keep reading → At Catholic colleges, Latino students increasingly find a place that feels like home Campus ministers at Catholic colleges are making efforts to give Latino students a feeling of belonging. Keep reading → What Makes a Catholic University Catholic? Religion News Service Editor-in-Chief Paul O’Donnell was joined in conversation on Dec. 4 with Heidi Schlumpf, Robert K. Vischer, Patricia McGuire, and Amy Uelmen as they discussed the future of Catholic higher education in an increasingly pluralistic America. Watch now

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