In the Jackson Labs controversy, those defending Monaghan's sale of the land are standing by the NCBC's explanation that the land sale was morally permissible. I think that the NCBC's explanation is flawed, but set that aside for now. In fact, let's even assume that Monaghan's land sale is morally permissible.

It's important to remember that Monaghan is not merely selling land, while disapproving of JAX's morally-skewed ethics (or even while remaining entirely neutral on the JAX plan). Monaghan and his agents are explicitly encouraging and supporting the JAX plan, a plan that the diocese now says has ethical and moral concerns. Think of President Healy welcoming the JAX plan because of the job and real estate benefits, or Dean Milhizer saying that JAX's practices are consistent with Catholic teaching, or Fr. Orsi being excited about the coming of JAX and the benefits to AMU. The Vatican instruction on research and material derived from human embryonic stem cell research requires people to make known their disagreement with such involvement.

Monaghan has made no public statement of disapproval of JAX's unethical involvement with human embryonic stem cell research. On the contrary, Monaghan and his associates are actively supporting all facets of the JAX plan without reservation. That is problematic.

(In other news, AveWatch has an similarly-themed editorial noting that "Tom Monaghan and his Ave Maria employees did nothing prior to the County Commissioners' vote to ensure that work repugnant to Catholic teaching will not be done at the Ave Maria Jackson Laboratory complex." Obviously, Monaghan has a huge financial interest in the success of the JAX plan. It's sad to see money trumping principle here.)

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