St. Phoebe Circles
St. Phoebe Circles bring together Catholics who feel called to participate in the Church’s ongoing discernment about women and the diaconate and to renew the face of a servant church in the world. Through shared prayer, learning, and witness, these groups create spaces for faithful engagement with one of the most significant questions facing our Church today.
St. Phoebe Circles engage their communities in the synodal discernment of our church about women and the diaconate and animate our diaconal church. They achieve this by facilitating opportunities for prayer for St. Phoebe’s intercession and observation of her feast, aprendiendo about the rich history and present context of diaconal ministry, participation in the church’s synodal journey, y damos testimonio to Christ’s love through concrete acts of service and social action.
St. Phoebe Circles commit to...
- Work to embody the face of Christ the Servant and the servant church in the world
- Celebrate and promote women's ministry leadership as permitted by current canon law
- Lead powerful St. Phoebe Day celebrations in the month of her feast, September
- Participate in the Church’s active discernment about women and the diaconate
- Organize educational events, house meetings, synod consultations
- Send delegates to Discerning Deacons’ quarterly assemblies
- Strive to meet regularly (~every 1-2 months)
- Carry forward Discerning Deacons' mission and vision
Discerning Deacons' mission is to engage Catholics in the active discernment of our Church about women and the diaconate and contribute to the renewal of this ministry for our times.
Apoyar
Apoyamos el llamado profético y el ministerio de los diáconos.
Ser testigos
Somos testigos del ministerio diaconal de las mujeres católicas en la historia y en el mundo de hoy.
Esperanza
Tenemos esperanza en que el Espíritu Santo animará este discernimiento, renovando la Iglesia y sanando nuestro mundo.
St. Phoebe Circles take their name from St. Phoebe, who was commended by St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans. He introduced her as a deacon (diakonos) of the church at Cenchreae and asked that the Christian community in Rome “receive her in the Lord” (Romans 16:1-2a). They are inspired by the deacon circles that formed as a response to the horrors and aftermath of World War II, wherein lay and ordained men and women came together to study the history of the diaconate, to explore the possibility of its restoration as a permanent order, and to minister to those in need. The witness of these deacon circles contributed to the eventual restoration of the diaconate as a permanent order for men after Second Vatican Council.
- St. Phoebe Circles can be based in parishes, schools, religious orders, or someone’s living room or Zoom room. They may or may not be formally associated with an institution like a parish, though there are often advantages to working within existing institutions. Circles are coordinated by volunteer leaders. New and established groups are welcome to register. Existing groups (e.g., parish women’s groups, outreach ministries, etc.) may register as St. Phoebe Circles as long as they uphold the St. Phoebe Circle commitments.