Here at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Baltimore, MD we celebrated St. Phoebe during our Sunday liturgy on September 3, 2023. Women of the parish participated in the call to worship, penitential rite, and prayers of the faithful, and a beautiful image of Paul and Phoebe was displayed on the bema at the front of the Church. Our parish’s female pastoral associate broke open the word for our community, and the children’s liturgy learned about and colored pictures of St. Phoebe. After the Eucharist, we asked the parish to reflect on their own “witness cards” and share a word/phrase that described women in their own lives who have been examples or inspirations to them. These cards were displayed on a bulletin board in the church and in our newsletter throughout September and October.

We pray that the infinite and intimate service of St. Phoebe will be acknowledged and accepted by all. St. Phoebe is a sign of hope today that the gifts of women will be more fully realized and utilized within the Church. Our celebration was a culmination of so much work and preparation, and the enthusiasm from parishioners and guests was an immense blessing. People shared that “their hearts were burning” to continue on this journey of discernment and participation. We know this conversation will continue, and we will continue studying and praying with the momentum from this celebration! We are blessed to have celebrated St. Phoebe in our community and to continue to learn from her example and witness.