Every September since 2020, Discerning Deacons has marked the Feast of St. Phoebe the Deacon by animating communities around the world in prayer and celebration in her honor.

Over 200 Catholics parishes, schools, religious orders, and other organizations have hosted local St. Phoebe Day gatherings across 67 dioceses, nine countries, and four continents, reaching tens of thousands of people with St. Phoebe's good news.
Together we lead our faith communities to…
  • Lift up St. Phoebe on or near the day she is commemorated, September 3
  • Pray for the universal church during the Global Synod and its implementation as we discern about women’s participation
  • Celebrate the voices and gifts of women leaders in our communities
  • Offer our communities an opportunity to grow in understanding of and exercise their baptismal call to diakonia—bridge-building, humble service in liturgy, Word, and social action, especially with those on the margins

We gather virtually on September 3 and unleash Catholic communities to host local prayers and celebrations honoring St. Phoebe throughout the month of September.

Icon by Cheryl Liske

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"The time is right, and frankly, long overdue for the pastoral leadership of these women to be acknowledged through their ordination as deacons in the Church...I am presently open to identifying and supporting women with the gifts to preach, teach and sanctify in the life of our faith communities. I am grateful for all the ways Discerning Deacons is encouraging this movement which I believe is of the Holy Spirit."

St. Phoebe Day Witnesses

Read reports from some of the parishes, high schools, universities, and other Catholic organizations who celebrated the Feast of St. Phoebe in September 2023 and 2024.

Australian Catholics Exploring the Diaconate

“It was deeply inspiring to bear witness to the stories of each person’s journey of faith and ministry. Together, we ensured that everyone’s voice and experience had space to be heard and valued. This event was part of our journey to support diaconal ministry in Australia.”

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St. Francis of Assisi Church

“We are committed to praying for the synod and for continuing to raise awareness about St. Phoebe and the ministry of women in the Church in our area. During the preparatory discussions for our celebration, some women in the group expressed that they had tried to organize around women’s leadership over 40 years ago, unfortunately receiving too much push back at the time. They are overjoyed to be a part of this discernment and conversation today; this might be the time!”

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St. Francis Xavier College Church

“[W]e celebrated St. Phoebe Day with a mass to uplift the voices of women in the Church, invite the community to rethink women’s participation and raise awareness of the global synod…Many were deeply moved by our celebration together. A senior woman from the parish shared that she had waited most of her adult life to hear the hope that was offered during Mass. A man approached after the celebration to ask for a copy of the reflection shared. With tears in his eyes, he shared that he hoped to share it with his daughter who had left the Church.”

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St. John Fisher Parish

“Learning about the history of women in the diaconate gave context to efforts to enable women’s participation in the diaconate today, and it was powerful to celebrate St. Phoebe and uplift the ministry of women in our own community.”

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Where is St. Phoebe?

Explore our interactive map to see some of the places and communities where St. Phoebe has been celebrated in past years. Don't see your celebration on the map? Send an email to us at info@discerningdeacons.org letting us know about your celebration!

“While I’m not necessarily the one who is called to do the proclaiming, I feel called to be the one who holds the microphone for every woman who does. I hope that there are going to be generations of witnesses coming after us who will do the same. I am praying for our Church to institutionally recognize the calling of so many women already serving and leading globally.”

St. Phoebe Day - Photos and Blog Posts

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