Last month, Pope Francis announced that the liturgical celebration of St. Mary Magdalene would be raised from Memorial to Feast, an attempt to honor the “Apostle to the Apostles” and the first witness of the Resurrection, as well as to emphasize the importance of this woman in the life of the Church. But who is Mary Magdalene, and why is this minor liturgical adjustment important? Some people asso...

Having crossed the midpoint of the Year of Mercy, it is time to take stock. During his eighth jubilee audience on June 30, 2016, Pope Francis challenged us by asking whether or not mercy has become our style of life. We can easily recognize this life style, the Pope noted, in a person in whom “mercy has eyes to see, ears to listen, hands to resolve.” In other words, “The works of mercy are not the...