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Witnesses
Church of the Ascension
Minneapolis, MN
May 1, 2024

At Church of the Ascension in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we celebrated St. Phoebe in Mass by introducing her to our community through narrative, song and prayer. We told some of her story at the beginning of Mass, and then St. Phoebe was mentioned again both during the homily and in a witness testimony from a parishioner. The Mass parts, including the hymns and prayers of the faithful all uplifted St. Phoebe and women’s ministry in the Church. Most engaging, however, was the event held after Mass in which we shared about the life and ministry of St. Phoebe, highlighted the global Synod, and participated in the synodal listening process using questions from Instrumentum Laboris. 

It was so life-giving to listen to such an inspiring and powerful witness testimony, as well as to work alongside one another on our team to plan this event. There was so much good energy among the planning team and parishioners! The timing of this event in connecting the witness of St. Phoebe to the movement to rethink women’s participation in the global Synod was a perfect way to encourage our parish community to continue to pray, discern, reflect and discuss together.

Witness
“A highlight for many present was the Scripture reflection offered by a female parishioner who specifically spoke about her experience as a minister in the Church. At St. William, communal leadership and ministry are a central part of our community’s identity and values.”
St. William Catholic Community
Louisville, KY
Witness
“I have always viewed my ministry through this lens – out of service for and to the people of God. My intention was and is never to center myself in my ministry as a lay leader, rather my focus was always on how I could better uplift others in our midst. The Holy Spirit has certainly been active in the communities where I have ministered.”
Sr. Janet M. Peterworth, OSU
Community Leader, Pastoral Caregiver, Writer, Louisville, KY
Witness
“The mission of Discerning Deacons is important because they are advocating for a larger role for women in the Church, which is hard to do. Discerning Deacons is unafraid to get their hands dirty to bring about a more inclusive Church for women.”
Devon James
College Campus Minister, Cincinnati, OH

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