a weekly basis to build caring relationships with the employees.”

Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, said that through the mandate, the government has “declared war on people of Faith.”

“This is a case about religious freedom,” said the lawsuit, which was filed March 12 in a federal court in Florida.

It quoted the third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, founding father and author of the Declaration of Independence, who said, “No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority.”

Rome, Italy, Mar 14, 2013 (CNA/EWTN News) -
Pope Francis made a private visit to Saint Mary Major Basilica this morning and prayed for half an hour at the Altar ofthe Virgin Mary.

In keeping with his humble demeanor, Pope Francis entered the basilica at around 8:00 a.m. through a side door, accompanied by Archbishop Georg Gänswein and Father Leonardo Sapienza, the top two officials from the Papal Household.

The night before, when he was introduced to the hundreds of the thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said that he was going to “go pray to the Madonna so that she may protect Rome.”

Vatican City, Mar 14, 2013 (CNA/EWTN News) -
The newly elected Pope Francis joked with cardinals over dinner telling them he hopes God forgives them for having chosen him.

“When the Secretary of State toasted to him, he toasted back to us and said ‘I hope God forgives you,’” Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan recalled at the