St. Phoebe, pray for us!

Happy Feast Day, St. Phoebe!

A blessed feast day for all the women and men for whom the charism of the diaconate—to respond generously to the pastoral needs in our communities—touches our vocational call.

It’s a joyful day for the many parish, school and university communities who already receive the diaconal ministry of women and who will celebrate the co-responsible duo St. Phoebe and St. Paul sometime in September.

Today kicks off a month of prayer, learning, and witness across the world.

We are praying for the intercession of St. Phoebe for a synodal Church – for the hope and vision of local churches that listen and discern with the People of God for how we are to walk together in this third millennium.

We are learning about the women who served as deacons throughout the first millennium of the Catholic Church’s tradition before the permanent diaconate was phased out for both men and women. (The diaconate as a permanent order was restored for men following Vatican II.)

We are bearing witness to the many pastoral needs around the world which necessitate the current synodal discernment about expanding women’s participation. We amplify the places in the world that desire a prophetic diaconate that includes men and women for a synodal church that goes out to the peripheries. We also witness the growing reality that there are many Catholic parishes and institutions ready to receive women in the Lord – just as St. Paul asked the fledgling Christian community in Rome to receive Phoebe in the Lord.

Our Church has a tradition of calling upon our saints to guide us in the present. This month we can call upon St. Phoebe as we pray for Pope Francis and the General Assembly of the Synod on Communion, Participation, and Mission who will meet for a month in October.

As your community celebrates locally, remember to identify a photographer who can take good photos and to share your celebration on social media with the hashtags #stphoebe and #receiveher.

And if you’re just learning about St. Phoebe Day, it’s not too late to celebrate her in your community this month! Check out our quick guide for some simple steps to get you started, with more resources below.

St. Phoebe, pray for us!