University of Maryland, Good for You!

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OneTrueCathApos

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I would like to share this story with everyone here that happened a few weeks ago at the university of Maryland’s graduation. I realize some of you had already heard it, but I’d like to share it with one’s who didn’t hear it. A great story of defiance and faith.

The University of Maryland (a Catholic University) was told by the courts that they were not allowed to mention the word God in any of their speeches, forbidden to utter the word God at anytime during commencement speeches and not even to Bless the students on their journeys.
The plan went as follows. When the president was calling out the students names for their diplomas, he was speaking into a microphone**. One student arrived at the microphone which was a cue for the other students. As soon as he got to the mike, ALL 92 STUDENTS SNEEZED AT ONCE. The student turned toward the mike and yelled “GOD BLESS YOU”. Everyone applauded with excitement. Even the teachers were applauding.

It is stories like this that keep me smiling…:)**
 
I have seen this “story” before so I wanted to check it out. Although it is a wonderful story and very moving - it is not entirely true. It is however partially true and the original story is just a moving. Here is the link to the original event.

snopes.com/politics/religion/sneeze.asp
 
OneTrueCathApos said:
I would like to share this story with everyone here that happened a few weeks ago at the university of Maryland’s graduation. I realize some of you had already heard it, but I’d like to share it with one’s who didn’t hear it. A great story of defiance and faith.

The University of Maryland (a Catholic University) was told by the courts that they were not allowed to mention the word God in any of their speeches, forbidden to utter the word God at anytime during commencement speeches and not even to Bless the students on their journeys.
The plan went as follows. When the president was calling out the students names for their diplomas, he was speaking into a microphone**. One student arrived at the microphone which was a cue for the other students. As soon as he got to the mike, ALL 92 STUDENTS SNEEZED AT ONCE. The student turned toward the mike and yelled “GOD BLESS YOU”. Everyone applauded with excitement. Even the teachers were applauding.

It is stories like this that keep me smiling…:)**

This is an old story. Check out Snopes.com
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OneTrueCathApos said:
Please…it is a true story so don’t ruin the moment.
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Why are you insisting that what you posted is a factual story when it isn’t? :eek:

Something very similar happened at a high school, which wasn’t a Cathollic school. The University of Maryland is a public university.

1/2 truths are lies.
 
OneTrueCathApos said:
The University of Maryland (a Catholic University) was told by the courts that they were not allowed to mention the word God in any of their speeches, forbidden to utter the word God at anytime during commencement speeches and not even to Bless the students on their journeys.
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Where did you get this story? The University of Maryland is not a Catholic university – it is definitely public. (Incidentally, there is a great Catholic student center there, which I would recommend for any Catholic student looking for a college…this is what I thought the thread was going to be about before I opened it…)
 
It happened at Washington Community HIgh School in Washington, Illinois in May of 2001. The rest are embellishments and fabrications - no such story exists at the Univ. of Maryland. A classmate of mine is on faculty there, and when I asked her about it last year when I planned to use it in a sermon illustration, her response was, “Is that malarky still floating around the Net?”

As the old saying goes, “It really didn’t happen… but it makes SUCH a good story!”

Urban legend again, OTCA. Sorry.

Also, the University of Maryland has been a state school for many, many years. Go to umd.edu/ and click on “College Portrait/VSA”.
As the state’s flagship university, the University of Maryland educates the most talented students from Maryland and beyond. We ranked 11th among all public U.S. universities and 37th worldwide in a recent international survey, and we were named one of the top 15 “green universities” in the country. Our faculty includes Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners. Our students win prestigious awards for their academic achievements and civic engagement, and our graduates enjoy successful careers in their chosen fields. In the past decade, our sports teams have won nine NCAA national championships. We embrace diversity, and we are taking advantage of our proximity to Washington, D.C., to educate tomorrow’s leaders and address global challenges.
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O+
 
O.S.Luke said:
It happened at Washington Community HIgh School in Washington, Illinois in May of 2001. The rest are embellishments and fabrications - no such story exists at the Univ. of Maryland. A classmate of mine is on faculty there, and when I asked her about it last year when I planned to use it in a sermon illustration, her response was, “Is that malarky still floating around the Net?”

As the old saying goes, “It really didn’t happen… but it makes SUCH a good story!”

Urban legend again, OTCA. Sorry.

Also, the University of Maryland has been a state school for many, many years. Go to umd.edu/ and click on “College Portrait/VSA”.

O+
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Sorry to disappoint you but this is in fact a true story, know why? Because a student who graduated from there that very day told me. I don’t care what you read. Media lies. You try so hard to discredit Catholics here. You are here just for that matter. Nice try.
 
OneTrueCathApos said:
Sorry to disappoint you but this is in fact a true story, know why? Because a student who graduated from there that very day told me. I don’t care what you read. Media lies. You try so hard to discredit Catholics here. You are here just for that matter. Nice try.
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OTCA, Catholics here pointed this out to you before I did. I’m not trying to discredit Catholicism - just your post about the University of Maryland - which is a STATE school, not a Catholic school. You’re not the first person to be duped by an urban legend.

Just admit that you’re wrong. It’s no sin. Just because you’re wrong doesn’t mean Catholicism is wrong either.
 
Hmmm…
One News Now:
Univ. of Maryland to Keep Commencement Prayer
Pete Chagnon - OneNewsNow - 4/13/2009

In a rare move, the president of the University of Maryland chose to go against the vote of the university senate and retain prayer as part of the school’s annual commencement ceremonies.

Late last week, a Catholic chaplain at the University of Maryland expressed concerned about the recent development concerning prayer on campus. Father Kyle Ingels explained that chaplains of various faiths take turns giving the commencement prayer at the University of Maryland. The prayer, he shared, typically centers around giving thanks for the students and their achievements and is non-sectarian in nature. But some have found the prayer to be offensive, so last week the university senate voted 42-14 to abolish it altogether.

“The prayer is a very, very inclusive prayer,” said Ingels. “It’s meant to be accessible to people of all faith traditions and, frankly, I think it’s also very accessible even to non-believers. It’s really geared more around giving thanks for our graduates and their achievements,” he pointed out. “It’s certainly not directed at any particular deity that would be offensive to people.”

The university senate’s recommendation went to the school president. “Dr. Dan Mote, who is the president of the University of Maryland, has the final say on this,” said Ingels. “And I received an email just this morning [Thursday, April 9] that Dr. Mote has not yet made a final decision as to how he will act on this.”

Late Thursday, Mote overrode the student senate, announcing that the school’s commencement ceremonies will continue to include a prayer. In a statement, Mote said, “For many people, a prayer of gratitude and a moment of reflection are an important part of our commencement tradition. A great many people who participate in our ceremonies either embrace this tradition or are willing to allow others who value it to have it as part of the ceremony.”

A university spokesman told The Associated Press that the school received numerous calls and emails, with many urging that the invocation continue.
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I suppose the press made this up, too, OTCA?

O+
 
Here is an example of a genuine barring of religious speech at a public university:

Paul Saito, a 3.97 GPA student in the Smeal College of Business Administration at Penn State University, was prohibited from delivering his commencement address in the Spring of 1996.

The speech was 7 paragraphs in length. The final sentence in one paragraph read as follows: Finally, I thank God for who He is, what He does and how He has provided me strength and guidance in my life. This was the only reference to God in the entire speech. Mr. Saito says that his refusal to omit the thanks to God was the reason he was not allowed to speak.

Penn State President Graham Spanier, in responding to this incident, called the process which rejected the speech “flawed and unfortunate.”

Here is a link so you can know this is not an urban legand.
news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19960520&id=uowNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oW8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2480,4057252
 
O.S.Luke said:
Hmmm…

I suppose the press made this up, too, OTCA?

O+
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Although this link is about people who stand up for what is right and how others may have similar stories to share, you always seem to come on as the bad apple of the bunch in which you really need to prove to others your negativity toward the Catholic church. Why can’t you just engage in dialogue? Do you always need to prove yourself and prove that others are wrong and that you know it all? Because you don’t.
 
ack said:
Where did you get this story? The University of Maryland is not a Catholic university – it is definitely public. (Incidentally, there is a great Catholic student center there, which I would recommend for any Catholic student looking for a college…this is what I thought the thread was going to be about before I opened it…)
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And there’s two. University of Maryland College Park (my uncle went there), and University of Maryland Baltimore County. I never thought of them as Catholic colleges. 🤷
 
O.S.Luke said:
It happened at Washington Community HIgh School in Washington, Illinois in May of 2001. The rest are embellishments and fabrications - no such story exists at the Univ. of Maryland. A classmate of mine is on faculty there, and when I asked her about it last year when I planned to use it in a sermon illustration, her response was, “Is that malarky still floating around the Net?”

As the old saying goes, “It really didn’t happen… but it makes SUCH a good story!”

Urban legend again, OTCA. Sorry.

Also, the University of Maryland has been a state school for many, many years. Go to umd.edu/ and click on “College Portrait/VSA”.

O+
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I’d like to tell you how I really feel about you but I can’t here…anyway
This is a factual real story and I think you have a problem with this.****
they have a Catholic Student Center which has Mass at certain times and a dedication to the Blessed Mother. On www.Harvestnet.org. will tell you the story. Just click on discussions.
Nice try Luke, give it up.
 
OTCA:

Enough - you continually accuse me of things that aren’t true.I don’t have a problem with Catholicism - I have great respect for it. Have said so more times than I can count. Quit playing the martyr.

I do have a problem when you post things that you say are factual yet facts prove otherwise - it is dishonest apologetics and dishonest in general. You have basically called me a liar, and place the blame back on me. Nobody is buying it.

I am sure you have your opinions of me, which you are welcome to have. But be sure you are not guilty of that which you accuse others of being. Other folks here, Catholic and non-Catholic, posted the same facts about this fabricated event which you have conveniently chosen to ignore - basically, because you’ve been caught.

Do what you need to you, OTCA. You continually charge me with bashing Catholicism - which I have never done. I suggest you reexamine yourself. I can certainly be wrong and have admitted such on several occasions. You seem to think yourself immune to it and above reproach.

I think your actions speak loudly. One of these days, I pray you can examine yourself as well as you examine others.

Pax vobiscum,

O+
 
Now to get back to the topic here. Are there others here who had a similar experience of being defiant for the faith or know of any stories? They will never totally remove God from this country, no matter how hard they try.
 
OneTrueCathApos said:
I’d like to tell you how I really feel about you but I can’t here…anyway
This is a factual real story and I think you have a problem with this.****
they have a Catholic Student Center which has Mass at certain times and a dedication to the Blessed Mother. On www.Harvestnet.org. will tell you the story. Just click on discussions.
Nice try Luke, give it up.
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I think you are being very unfair to our friend Luke. He just pointed out the fact that this did not happen as originally posted, as did others with CATHOLIC listed as their religion. He NEVER made any statements against Catholics or Catholicism in any of his posts on this thread.

But, you chose to attack only him as if he is bashing Catholics when all he did was state what others had already stated. It does not matter where or when the events in the story occurred - it still makes a good story. In my opinion, you owe Luke an apology.
 
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