Here at Rosemont College we honored St. Phoebe Day with several different educational opportunities to acquaint the community with St. Phoebe, her life and witness.

During the week leading up to September 3 we debuted three short videos on our social media page, and also displayed these same videos together on the TV screen in Rosemont’s Community Center. In the videos, two students and a faculty member spoke about St. Phoebe, including who she was and why celebrating this day matters. You can see these videos here. 

During the week a staff member and student were also available at a table in the same room where they answered questions about Phoebe. We had a basket of pertinent questions available for those who were not sure what to ask so that everyone had a chance to engage. We also had a large image of St. Phoebe, several small St. Phoebe prayer cards, and a map of St. Paul’s travels on the table, as well. 

In Rosemont’s chapel, we also created a devotional space for the icon near the altar for our celebration together. 

During our community’s Mass of the Holy Spirit on September 13, we celebrated Phoebe by remembering her and her ministry in the Universal Prayer. Further, before the closing prayer, one of our faculty shared what St. Phoebe meant to her in her life and to other women who see how our Church would be enriched by women with the responsibilities married deacons currently have. We provided prayer cards for community members to take at the end of Mass, as well. 

The icon of St. Phoebe is still present in our Chapel today, where we are able to remember her witness and ask her to intercede on our behalf. 

Furthermore, the final component of our St. Phoebe Day celebration was when a Rosemont faculty member spoke during the Vespers service in the Holy Child Sisters’ Chapel in mid-September.

Together, as a community, we are glad to uplift the witness and ministry of St. Phoebe, and we are grateful for her example and witness in our community.