Recently, we have emailed out this letter far and wide to parishes in Australia. Please feel free to take up this invitation yourself, in your own context, or speak to the parish leaders who may have received this message.
St Phoebe’s Day 3rd September 2025 – Parish Events
Dear Parish Leaders including parish priests, associates, administrators, secretaries,
parish councillors and parish leaders,
“What comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped.”
This statement from Paragraph 60 of the Final Document of the Synod on Synodality
encourages us to move forward in promoting the increased inclusion of women
in leadership in our Church. The group Discerning Deacons has this to say:
“Did you know that it is now magisterial teaching that the discernment about women deacons remains open and should continue?
That women should be fulfilling all the roles currently available to them in canon law?
That preaching, teaching, catechesis, and official Church documents should include the voices and stories of more women saints, theologians, and mystics?
But the reality stands that the vast majority of Catholics in the pews have not yet heard about Paragraph 60 of the Synod’s Final Document, where these directives are laid out.
They do not know about this new church teaching which bishops and all the faithful are asked now to implement.
Let’s change that this September.
In order to be effective, church teaching has to be received. People need to know about Paragraph 60 in order to begin to imagine what it would look like to implement it, and the difference it could make.”
Over the last few years, awareness of St Phoebe, the bearer of St. Paul’s good news for the Romans (Romans 16:1-2), and devo on to her memory, has been increasing around the world. Many different activities have taken place and you may care to read about them at: https://discerningdeacons.org.
Australian Catholics Exploring the Diaconate (ACED), in particular, have held three webinars over the past three years: https://liturgyonthemargins.org/events/ and also have one this year on 3rd September 7.30-9pm AEST. The link will appear on the events page soon.
As members of the ACED group, we are writing to you in the hope you will celebrate the feast of St Phoebe’s Day which, this year, falls on a Wednesday. The Sunday after is Fathers’ Day so, if you wanted a weekend celebration, we suggest the weekend before or any time during the week, or even month, that would suit your parish.
The following are just a few suggestions which have been tried successfully in other parishes in recent years. You may of course come up with another great idea which we would love to hear about. Resources for each of these activities can be accessed via the links provided.
Activity 1. A morning tea (afternoon tea, share supper or similar) during which information about St Phoebe as a deacon of the church is shared. The following videos are suggested:
a). Fr Juventius Andrade – “Who’s who in the Bible – Phoebe the Deaconess”
b). Women Deacons and the Catholic Church | An Explainer
Further information available from the following links:
Women Deacons Why Not Now? – a resource package. Future Church.
“A Future Diaconate” – an article by Australian theologian Anthony Gooley.
Activity 2. A public acknowledgement of the leadership/diaconal roles undertaken by women in your parish. Perhaps as part of a Eucharist or at another appropriate event. A suggested draft certificate is attached for you to adapt to your parish.
Activity 3. In negotiation with the parish priest, a woman could speak at a Eucharist either giving a reflection on the Sunday readings, or sharing the story of St Phoebe.
Activity 4. Watch as a group or individually this year’s webinar by ACED on 3rd September and access the link via the events page https://liturgyonthemargins.org/events/
Activity 5. Conduct a discussion / reflection session on Paragraph 60 from the Synod on Synodality. You may wish to begin this session with a Lectio Divina prayer based on Paragraph 60: Lectio Divina with Paragraph 60
- Identify two volunteers to each take a turn reading the below text of Paragraph 60 aloud, slowly and prayerfully.
- After the first reading, allow for 10-15 seconds of silence.
- Before the second reading, let people know that all will be invited to share aloud a word or phrase that particularly speaks to them once the reading is over, so they are prepared.
- After the second reading, allow a few minutes for people to share a word or phrase that resonated with them.
- Close with a Glory Be, Hail Mary, Our Father, or other short prayer.
60. By virtue of Baptism, women and men have equal dignity as members of the People of God. However, women continue to encounter obstacles in obtaining a fuller recognition of their charisms, vocation and place in all the various areas of the Church’s life. This is to the detriment of serving the Church’s shared mission. Scripture attests to the prominent role of many women in the history of salvation. One woman, Mary Magdalene, was entrusted with the first proclamation of the Resurrection. On the day of Pentecost, Mary, the Mother of God, was present, accompanied by many other women who had followed the Lord. It is important that the Scripture passages that relate these stories find adequate space inside liturgical lectionaries. Crucial turning points in Church history confirm the essential contribution of women moved by the Spirit. Women make up the majority of churchgoers and are often the first witnesses to the faith in families. They are active in the life of small Christian communities and parishes. They run schools, hospitals and shelters. They lead initiatives for reconciliation and promoting human dignity and social justice. Women contribute to theological research and are present in positions of responsibility in Church institutions, in diocesan curia and the Roman Curia. There are women who hold positions of authority and are leaders of their communities. This Assembly asks for full implementation of all the opportunities already provided for in Canon Law with regard to the role of women, particularly in those places where they remain underutilised. There is no reason or impediment that should prevent women from carrying out leadership roles in the Church: what comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped. Additionally, the question of women’s access to diaconal ministry remains open. This discernment needs to continue. The Assembly also asks that more attention be given to the language and images used in preaching, teaching, catechesis, and the drafting of official Church documents, giving more space to the contributions of female saints, theologians and mystics.”
You could then have a discussion with a focus question such as:
“What does Paragraph 60 this mean for our parish / diocese? What is currently happening?”
As we remember St. Phoebe as the bearer of St. Paul’s good news for the Romans, we will be the bearers of the good news of Paragraph 60—our Church’s new magisterial teaching about women—in our communities.
Will you be a bearer of good news this September by bringing the good news to your parish (or school, religious order, or organization)?
We hope that this information will be helpful in supporting you to celebrate the feast of St Phoebe and to draw attention to the role of women in leadership in the Church. Please contact us if you need further information.
Yours in Christ
Deborah Robertson
Joanna Thyer
on behalf of Australian Catholics Exploring the Diaconate (ACED) liturgyonthemargins.org
To register for our Feast of St Phoebe webinar:
Liturgy on the Margins 