After the Fall of man, freedom both internally and externally, became scarce. The typical state of affairs in mankind’s bloody history was tragically tyranny. It became the natural condition if man was left to follow his own devices. As one studies this line of understanding in history a certain pattern emerges. This pattern was brilliantly comprehended by Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor in 1787. He stated:

God’s Word teaches that there are seven things God hates. According to Proverbs 6:16-19:

These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.

Texas Governor Rick Perry’s entry into the ranks of Republican presidential contenders has raised questions about both his religious beliefs and, more broadly, about the political and economic consequences of Christianity. Writing for the Atlantic, former Maryland lieutenant governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend raised the issue from a specifically Catholic perspective, taking Perry to task for what she sees as his opposition to the welfare state.

“Christ teaches us to feed the hungry and care for the sick, not to abandon them. Perhaps Gov. Perry hasn't read that part of the Bible where Christ admonishes us to care for ‘the least among us’,” Kennedy Townsend wrote. Later, citing a conversation she had with Pastor Rick Warren of Purpose Driven Life fame who she says told her that he had “‘missed the 2,500 passages’ in the Bible that called on him to care about other people," she continued:

Does Rick Perry acknowledge those 2,500 passages? That's the second question I'd like the press to ask him. Maybe he believes, like some socially conservative evangelicals, that these passages refer only to personal charity, not government programs. But I don't see any place in the Bible that says we shouldn't use all the tools we have at hand to help the poor, the sick, and the hungry.

According to Zenit, the Catholic news agency, 200,000 people gathered at an event “held at Rome’s Circus Maximus” for a vigil leading up to the beatification of Pope John Paul II on April 30.

The gathered heard speakers who knew or were helped by Pope John Paul II recount events from his life, and heard one speaker talk of a miracle she attributes to the great Pontiff.

Sister Marie Simon-Pierre told those gathered about her cure from Parkinson’s disease. In testimony written in 2006, Sister Marie recalled the miracle. 

Describing the progressive debilitation imposed on her by the disease, not long after the death of Pope John Paul II Sister Marie visited her superior and asked to be relieved of the work she could no longer perform. Her superior asked her to hold on a bit longer.

White House Easter Egg Roll is a tradition which dates back to 1878. The event has grown from a few local children rolling eggs on the White House Lawn to a national event filled with live entertainment, sports, interactive cooking demonstrations and of course the traditional rolling of Easter eggs. The Easter Egg Roll promotes healthy and active living and is designed for children 12 years of age and under. The 2011 White House Easter Egg Roll will be held on Monday, April 25. As in past years, an online lottery will be conducted to choose the lucky winners of tickets. Signing up for the lottery is free of charge. Tickets for winners are free of charge.

Originally, young children in Washington, D.C. would flock to Capitol Hill every Monday after Easter for egg rolling and a day of activities. Members of Congress grew tired of the growing crowds and passed an Act of Congress which prohibited egg rolling on the Capitol grounds. The event was moved to the White House in 1878 after President Hayes was approached by young children to use his backyard to roll eggs. Nearly every Easter since, the White House has invited young children to roll eggs on the White House lawn. Today, the Easter Egg Roll is the largest event held at the White House.

by recreation.gov/

At the beginning of March, a group of Catholic scholars and clergy from around the nation gathered for a conference at Ave Maria University in Florida to consider the nature of human rights in a Catholic context.

The conference, entitled “The Foundation of Human Rights: Catholic Contributions,” according to the Zenit news service, “was sponsored by the university, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, and the Ave Maria School of Law,”

Before the conference, participants received a message from Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Family. In his message, sent on DVD, Cardinal Antonelli told participants: "there is no common good without respect for fundamental human rights, beginning with the rights connected to life, the family, the freedom of conscience and religion."

The United States is not the only country facing controversy over whether or not Christian symbols can be displayed in public venues. Similar controversies have erupted in traditionally Catholic countries in both Europe and South America.

In 2009, outrage swept Italy, a majority Catholic nation by a large margin, when the European Court of Human rights ruled that crucifixes could not be displayed in the nation’s public school classrooms.

The ruling came in a case brought by Italian mother Soile Lautsi. Ms. Lautsi argued that she wanted her children to receive a secular education but could not do so because of the presence of crucifixes in classrooms.