These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, July 22

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her. (John 20:1-2, 11-18)

For many people, the first time they ever gave a thought to Mary Magdalene is because of the musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. But Mary Magdalene is finally coming into her own. Pope Francis raised her memorial to the rank of feast, the same rank as the apostles, for as the early church always said of Mary Magdalene, “she is the apostle to the apostles.”