Discerning Deacons

"I refuse to believe nothing can be done. I believe too much in the power of our baptism." A new reflection on Dilley and the diaconal vocation, and what we might do together, from Discerning Deacons co-director, Casey Stanton. Read it here: https://discerningdeacons.org/even-just-one-of-these-children/

"Me niego a creer que no se pueda hacer nada. Creo demasiado en el poder de nuestro bautismo." Una nueva reflexión sobre Dilley y la vocación diaconal, y sobre lo que podríamos hacer juntos, de Casey Stanton, codirectora de Discerning Deacons. Léela aquí: https://discerningdeacons.org/es/even-just-one-of-these-children/

“Incluso uno solo de estos pequeños” “No podemos limitarnos a delegar esta tarea a instituciones o asociaciones dotadas de un carisma específico: ante los rostros concretos que nos interpelan en el día a día, toda la comunidad cristiana está llamada a sentirlos como a sus propios hijos y a acercarse a la historia concreta de cada...

Shout out to Sr. Tracy Kemme of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and Sr. Michelle Cimaroli of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus US Province and St. Raphaela Retreat Center for your work to organize these St. Phoebe Forums specifically for women religious later this month!

Discerning Deacons is planning more than 50 virtual forums to engage Catholics in the discernment about women in the diaconate, two of which are specific to Catholic sisters.
https://www.globalsistersreport.org/religious-life/discerning-deacons-plans-forums-catholic-sisters-women-diaconate

More PROCLAIM women breaking open the Word! 🎙️✨🙌

Be sure to check out Lucia Pasternak, a member of PROCLAIM's inaugural cohort, preaching on this upcoming Sunday's readings for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time for U.S. Catholic magazine!

A Sunday reflection for September 13, 2026 Lucia Pasternak offers a reflection for the twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 13, year A: God’s grace often leads to the unexpected.

St. Phoebe Day was just the beginning ✨

Paragraph 60 of the Synod’s Final Document is now magisterial teaching — calling the Church to recognize women’s equal baptismal dignity and fully implement the leadership roles already open to them under canon law. What does it mean, and how can you take part?

Join a St. Phoebe Forum near you this fall — a hope-filled, interactive conversation on what’s next. What comes from the Holy Spirit….cannot be stopped! 🙌❤️‍🔥

🔗💻See the link here for the interactive St. Phoebe Fall Map: https://discerningdeacons.org/celebrate-st-phoebe-fall/

And the link here to register for the September 24th Online St. Phoebe Forum: https://discerningdeacons.org/event/phoebes-daughters-women-service-and-the-catholic-church-online-phoebe-forum/

Discerning Deacons Co-Director Casey Stanton is up on the blog today reflecting on St. Phoebe sharing a feast day with St. Gregory the Great, and what this might mean for co-responsibility today. 🤝❤️‍🔥

"Celebrating a holy man does not require suppressing a woman's memory." 🕯️

Read the blog here: https://discerningdeacons.org/i-have-a-confession-to-make/

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Casey Stanton, codirectora de Discerning Deacons, está hoy en el blog reflexionando sobre cómo Santa Febe comparte su festividad con San Gregorio Magno, y lo que esto podría significar para la corresponsabilidad hoy en día. 🤝❤️‍🔥

«Celebrar a un hombre santo no implica borrar la memoria de una mujer». 🕯️

Lee el blog aquí: https://discerningdeacons.org/es/tengo-algo-que-confesar/

Tengo algo que confesar He sido culpable de descartar a un Doctor de la Iglesia.La Iglesia celebra hoy el memorial de San Gregorio Magno.A diferencia de la mayoría de los santos, a quienes se recuerda el día de su muerte y de su entrada en la vida eterna, el Papa Gregorio Magno es conmemorado en la fecha en que se convir...

Today is the day — the Feast Day of St. Phoebe! 🕯️❤️‍🔥

We dream of and pray for a world where those on the margins are seen and cared for with dignity and humanity, and where women’s gifts for ministry are welcomed in their fullness, strengthening the Church’s mission in the world. We know that “what comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped” (Synod Final Document, Paragraph 60). ✨

Join us tonight for a special online prayer service honoring St. Phoebe at 8:00PM ET / 5:00PM PT.

Register here: https://discerningdeacons.org/event/feast-of-st-phoebe-international-online-prayer-service/

St. Phoebe, pray for us. 🙏

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¡Hoy es el día: la fiesta de Santa Febe! 🕯️❤️‍🔥

Soñamos y rezamos por un mundo en el que las personas marginadas sean vistas y atendidas con dignidad y humanidad, y en el que los dones de las mujeres para el ministerio sean acogidos en toda su plenitud, fortaleciendo así la misión de la Iglesia en el mundo. Sabemos que lo que proviene del Espíritu Santo no puede detenerse (Documento Final del Sínodo, párrafo 60).✨

Acompáñanos esta noche en un servicio especial de oración en línea en honor a Santa Febe a las 8:00PM ET/5:00PM PT.

Regístrate aquí: https://discerningdeacons.org/es/event/feast-of-st-phoebe-international-online-prayer-service/

Santa Febe, ruega por nosotros. 🙏

🎉 St. Phoebe Day is TOMORROW, Thursday, September 3rd!

Mark your calendars — this feast day kicks off St. Phoebe Fall, a season to learn, pray, and witness together as a community.

Join us for two ways to celebrate tomorrow:

🌍 8:00 a.m. ET / 5:00 a.m. PT — International Prayer Service
Begin the day in prayer with Catholics from around the world, celebrating the diaconal vocation of women and asking the Holy Spirit to continue opening pathways of peace, participation, and co-responsibility.

✨ 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT — St. Phoebe Day Celebration with Discerning Deacons
Gather for an evening of prayer, inspiration, and celebration — reflecting on enduring partnerships in mission, from St. Phoebe and St. Paul to the women and men embodying co-responsibility in the Church today.
👉 RSVP here: https://discerningdeacons.org/event/feast-of-st-phoebe-international-online-prayer-service/

And the season doesn't stop there — throughout St. Phoebe Fall, communities around the world are also hosting Phoebe Forums: 75-minute interactive gatherings that are lively, hope-filled, and faithful to Catholic teaching, introducing participants to the history of the diaconate, the work of Discerning Deacons during the Synod on Synodality, and concrete ways to join the Church's ongoing discernment about women in ministry and the diaconate.

📍 Check out our interactive map to find a Phoebe event near you! https://tinyurl.com/phoebefallmap

¡Acompáñanos a celebrar la fiesta de Santa Febe —diácona, líder y testigo del Evangelio! 🕊️

El 3 de septiembre nos reuniremos en oración, historias y esperanza por una Iglesia más sinodal para celebrar a Santa Febe, a quien el mismo Pablo nombró diakonos (Romanos 16:1-2).

📅 Jueves, 3 de septiembre
🕐 8:00 a. m. y 8:00 p. m. ET / 5:00 a. m. y 5:00 p. m. PT
🌐 Habrá traducción al español en ambas sesiones
🔗 bit.ly/febe-2026

Ven a rezar con nosotros mientras honramos el legado de Febe y apoyamos el discernimiento en curso sobre las mujeres y el diaconado.

Be sure to check out this book review by Annie McAuliffe in National Catholic Reporter of Dr. Phyllis Zagano's new book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴.

Read Annie's review here:

New book illuminates true barrier to women's diaconate In The Vatican and Women Deacons, Phyllis Zagano makes the case that the primary barrier to ordaining women deacons today is not theological, but cultural.