Dear Editor: 
On Wednesday, April 29, Pope Francis addressed the problem of “Pay Equality” for women. While I applaud the pope for speaking out on this important issue, closer to home, Francis can lend a hand to end discrimination by having an open dialogue to empower women in the Catholic Church.

According to all four canonical Gospels, the risen Christ appeared first to his devout, trusted, loyal, faithful disciple, Mary of Magdala.

She was the first to testify to the resurrection of Jesus, making her the first Christian. That in itself makes Mary Magdalene the most important disciple in the movement of Jesus!

For 2,000 years, the Catholic faithful have been conditioned to believe that “men” have a monopoly on piety. I find that to be discriminatory and prejudiced.

Fact check: Few characters in the New Testament have been so sorely miscast as Mary Magdalene, whose reputation as a prostitute did not originate in the Bible but in a sixth century sermon by Pope Gregory.

ERNIE TERGA
Elmhurst