Pope Francis has shaken things up multiple times during his first few years since his election, and he did it again when he announced a Year of Mercy that would begin in December.
Tuesday, September 1, the Pope announced that from December 2015 to November 2016, all Catholics will partake in what he calls the Year of Mercy. During this special year, all Catholic women who had an abortion can be forgiven by Catholic priests. 
According to Father Matthew Graham of the Christ the King church at LSU, the church recognizes that sometimes people are pressured into an abortion, and, in those cases, the sin does not lay on them but the person that promoted it.
“Even though this might be a grave sin, the Lord can forgive you, the Lord does forgive you,” explained Father Graham. “We want you to feel that now rather than later.”
The power to forgive a sin that Catholics view as seriously as abortion is usually reserved for bishops only. This year gives women of the church more of an opportunity to become part of the church once more.
“Normally Jubilee years only happen every 25 years, and so this is technically 10 years early,” LSU Biology Sophomore Kirbyanne Plessala said. “It just really shows that the Pope really things that this is something that we need to address now.”
Now, the Catholic church within the United States will welcome the Pope as he makes his first trip to America.
“To see, you know, one to two million people coming around at different spots to worship together, to pray together and to see how unique this church is, but also how universal this church is,” Father Graham said.
The arrival of the Pope and the coming of this Year of Mercy has made the Catholic church even more hopeful for the future.
“So hopefully after this year people will feel more connected with the church,” explained Father Graham. “We as a church feel that we are more open, expressing God’s love and God’s mercy, and hoping to walk with the people in their daily journey, hopefully in a way that they haven’t beforehand.”
As times change, the church appears to be adapting in order to allow more people to become a part of what the church has to offer.