Immaculate Conception Church - Discerning Deacons

Immaculate Conception is a multicultural, dynamic, and welcoming Catholic community in Seattle, founded by the Jesuit Fathers in 1904. This welcoming led us to our first St Phoebe Day celebration Mass.

On September 10, 2024, young girls and women were featured in almost all of the liturgical ministries during the mass. Dalwyn Dean, a loyal parishioner and a member of our Health and Human Services Commission ministry, offered the reflection for our community.

Some parishioners had not heard of St. Phoebe and her diaconal ministry, while others were familiar and excited to share their knowledge of her ministry with others. Overall our community was open to this celebration, and some were extremely excited to learn more! Some parishioners asked when there would be more celebrations or sessions uplifting St. Phoebe and her ministry.

Our first St Phoebe Day celebration Mass was a great success. We are proud and excited to continue learning more together and to uplift the witness and ministry of St. Phoebe here at Immaculate Conception.

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Witness

“Being able to be educated on who St. Phoebe is and giving others the chance to meet her, being part of a community of women who promote an inclusive model of the church, and seeing my own community come alive and heal from division provides a vision of what can and will be possible one day in the Catholic Church.”

Kathleen O'Brien

Maryknoll Bay Area Regional Coordinator in the Mission Formation Department

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Witness

“I have witnessed these women become Catholic high school teachers, professors, writers, administer parish life and leaders of prayer services. Women have been my peers and supervisors, except in diaconal ministry. I continue to hold out hope that women’s gifts for ministry and service can and will be acknowledged by the church.”

Fr. Tom Cwick, SJ

Pastoral Minister, North Side, St. Louis, MO

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Witness

“I am grateful as a pastor and a part of the BCCs here to learn and journey together with others. As a priest in our community, I am proud to be a part of this ministry to uplift women who are struggling. It is great joy and fulfillment. In my personal life, I have experienced the richness of acknowledging and uplifting the witness of women in the early Church and also in our Church today.”

Fr. Vincent Dsouza, SJ

Pastor and Base Christian Community Leader, India

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