Catholic Teen Defends Her Right to Attend Mass: Margeaux Graham Chooses Faith Over Honors

6/6/2012

(Page 2 of 2)

and for some that means missing a track meet or dance competition and they must remain with the program from beginning till end and sometimes that means missing other important programs throughout the summer and other camps whose dates over-lap ours. And yes, it means girls are unable to go to the church of their choice on Sunday or what ever their day of worship is." -ALA Florida Officer (Catholic)

Missing Mass is a Sacrifice?

The adult role model went on to say that she knows God understands and accepts her decision to work this program each year even if it means she must miss Mass. "It does not make me any less a Catholic. My faith is stronger than that!" Really? Catholics are supposed to yield to politics on sacred obligations? In order to show they have strong faith? After she accused Margeaux's mother of creating a "negative impact" on her daughter, the officer went on to scold, "Life is full of choices and she will be faced with many in her lifetime. One of life's lessons is she can't go through life blaming others for the decisions she makes."

It's remarkable to note that on the ALA website their preamble states: "For God and Country, we associate ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of American.[sic]" Yet, they are using coercive force to violate this young woman's fundamental constitutional and civil right to worship, guaranteed to her by the First Amendment.

One last thing.

The officer says that in her 19 years of service no one has ever questioned this "sacrifice." That's longer than Margeaux's been alive, and her stand is nothing short of heroic. Applaud her! Say a prayer of thanks, and then, if you know anyone at a Catholic university who could possibly arrange to grant Margeaux the three credits she ought to have received, please send them this article and let me know. She's earned it for demonstrating true leadership and courage, because although she has the right to participate in leadership development as a citizen and to worship as she chooses, if she has to make the choice between one or the other, she has demonstrated that she will not compromise her priorities. Nor will she trade her faith for temporal prestige. That's most fundamentally what leaders - and Catholics - do.

Thank you Margeaux. You inspire us all.

[Stay tuned though...she may just go to that conference yet.]

UPDATE: Just heard that the university is not University of Central Florida, but Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee. The cathedral is literally right across the street.

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Stacy Trasancos is the chief editor at Ignitum Today, and a contributor to Integrated Catholic Life. She has a PhD in chemistry and is currently working on a Master's in theology. She blogs at Accepting Abundance.

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1 - 10 of 33 Comments

Graziella Raluy Zierold
11 months ago
Que Dios te bendiga (God bless you!) Greetings and blessings from Mexico City. Faithful Catholics here are now devastated because of the "victory" of the PRI party in our elections last July 1st. This is the party that murdered thousands of Catholics during the presidency of its founder, President Plutarco Elías Calles. This is the party responsible for murdering students and other civilians in 1968. Please pray for us. The party claims it has changed, but this election was "won" through countless unfair actions. The party voted with the PAN party in favor of a law that will ensure religious freedom and open it to a more explicit and public expression. That law will be made effective next January, but we fear the party will violate it and other laws like the one that protects freedom of speech. Please pray for Mexico. We will keep the USA in our prayers, too, especiallly for your own elections in November.
Jabulani
11 months ago
God bles u young lady, u ar realy blessed. I'v learnt a lot from your letter, and my prayer 4 u is to ask God to proctect u and make u a gud leader who fears and respect God with your heart. Am so blessed to read this article. 'GUIDE ME OH THOU GREAT REDEEMER, PRILGRIM THROUGH THIS BARREN LAND...' am singing dis hymn 4 u and I. God bles u
Bill McCarthy
1 year ago
VIVA CRISTO REY!!!! If 14 year old Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio could go to his death shouting this phrase (go see For Greater Glory) Margeau Graham can miss this anti-religious organization's event. Bravo to her for stnding up for her Faith. Viva Cristo Rey [long live Christ the King].
carmen vazquez
1 year ago
Margeaux (Margarita, in Spanish), If all of us, Catholics, were as faithful to God as you have just demonstrated, our world would be different..,.if you denied to attend this very important event, that means that our dear Lord has something greater for you than the honor you were given by men and women. God bless you always and thanks for you brave example...for sure, He always will be by your side...
Manuel Morales
1 year ago
God Bless you Margaux.
This letter should be sent to Ms. John Biden, Miss Nancy Pelosi, Miss Sibelius and other "catholic" (?) politicians.
Bravo!
DR
1 year ago
God bless you Margeaux! Taking a stand against tyranny is what this country was founded on and what government used to be about!
Mary Juliet Zinabala
1 year ago
what an inspiration? I wonder how many of us (Catholics) would be able to defend our faith. I feel great inner joy for her courage and faith. Margeaux Be blessed. Many of us who have read this article can as well share it with others to help each other keep on the pat h of faith. Surely, we should pray that we are able to defend our faith at all times. Many of us, our stories won't be written all over sites but our actions in our respective communities, societies should leave a foot print and also preach the good news that will echoe to as far as the Lord would allow.
suzanna
1 year ago
Maybe I would have attended and just went awol to go to Mass. Most churches have early Masses (6:00 or 7:00) and she could have just told the front desk at FSU that she was going to Church and will be back in an hour.
Nancy Roman
1 year ago
Thank you for your example. Your parents raised you well. God should be the center of our lives not just a Sunday chore. God bless you. Nancy, Chicago, IL
val padilla
1 year ago
I admire her zeal. When the Lord comes...will He find faithful servants ?

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