Witnesses
"You will be my witnesses."
(Acts 1:8)
The preparatory process for the Synod of Bishops on the Amazon involved 87,000 people bearing witness to their laments, hopes and dreams for their communities and the Church they love.
At the synod in Rome, bishops repeatedly affirmed that women are already doing the work of deacons in the region, and they asked that this ministry be seen and recognized.
The Synod formally requested to share their “experiences and reflections” with a papal commission on women and the diaconate, and Pope Francis immediately responded, saying:
“I pick up the challenge. A glove has been thrown down. The women have put up a sign: ‘Please listen to us. May we be heard.’ And I pick up that gauntlet.”
Here, we gather to listen to women serving in ministry today who are ready to be received as deacons in the Church. We also share prayers and hopes for our Church’s discernment, as we seek to bear collective witness to the movement of the Holy Spirit.
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Witness
“I have been blessed with women who have shared their many gifts with me. They have broken open Scripture for the people of God with their own perspective and insight. They have shown ways of leading which empower and confirm the value of each individual person. They have offered perspectives and visions of the Spirit’s call to live God’s love for all.”
Don Highberger, SJ
University Campus Minister and Hospital Pastoral Minister, St. Louis, MO
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Witness
“If I could be ordained a deacon, the people would hear the Good News preached with authority at the pulpit and in the world. For me personally, it would feel like the ability to serve in the manner in which God has put on my heart to serve. As a minister of the word, liturgy and charity, I would preach the word to inspire others to love God and their neighbor. I would continue to bring communion to the sick and imprisoned, but I would also free our priests by taking on some baptisms, weddings, and funeral services that are outside of the Mass. It would feel like the fullness of what I was meant to do.”
Theresa Shepherd-Lukasik
Director of Adult Faith Formation, St. Joseph Parish, Seattle, WA
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Witness
“And when I get antsy waiting, as I often do, I remember the women I met who showed me that the ‘not yet’ is an “already.” Women deacons have existed and continue to exist. Someday, I may be one of them.“
Julia D’Agostino, MDiv
Theology Student, ThM Candidate
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Witness
“I have not given a thought about becoming a deacon, but would consider the possibility if asked to become a deacon. Ultimately, I know and feel strongly that the presence of women ministerially can have a profound impact on the Church.”
Kathy Herrington
Lector and Community Minister, Northbrook, IL
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Witness
“God has a marvelous plan in all things and whether or not I am called to the diaconate, my service to God and God’s people will always continue. Discerning is a process that always comes with change.”
Helena Ditko
Parish Council Member & Catechist, San Fernando Region, CA,
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Witness
“In my 47-years of ministry, I was the only person some women told of their abortion, a person others asked for guidance about issues of fertility, marriage, children, family life, in-laws, etc. This trust being honored and uplifted by the Church through the inclusion of women in the diaconate would be profoundly significant. I would be proud to be a deacon to embrace both my own calling and to be a part of greater change.”
Dr. Denise Mack
Rochester, NY, Ignatian Spiritual Exercises Prayer Guide and Lay Preaching Organizer
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