Joanna Thyer, 18 September 2025
This article was published in the September 2025 edition of The Good Oil, the e-journal of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, and is republished with permission. There is no cost to subscribe to The Good Oil: www.goodsams.org.au
When St Paul sent Phoebe the deacon to Rome, he trusted her capacity to deliver the good news and acknowledged her spiritual authority in the community. In the 21st Century, her role has come to the fore again.
By Joanna Thyer
The magisterium in Document 60 in the Final Document from last year’s Synod on Sydnodality, For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission, clearly states: “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. …”
It concludes: “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.”
This firmly places the open discussion, discernment and exploration of the diaconate for women as a big issue in the Church. It also makes it implicit that there is no impediment, historically or theologically, for women to be ordained as deacons.
Compounding this awareness is the fact that many of those involved in ministry in places like the Amazon are now calling for women to be ordained as deacons because the pastoral need is so dire. Without doubt we are in tumultuous times, and this calls for all hands on deck to respond to our baptismal call.
This month, Australian Catholics Exploring the Diaconate (ACED) held our annual webinar in honour of the Feast of St Phoebe on 3 September.
The event was also the forum for the launch of the document, Potential for Women Deacons in the Australian Catholic Churches, outlined by the convenor of ACED, Sister Elizabeth Young RSM.
The document contains testimonies from Australian women called to the diaconate, or doing diaconal work, and will be presented to the Australian bishops very soon. Many of those who contributed to this document also contributed to documents and discussions in Rome last year and in January this year to the Submission to Study group 5.
Often the discussion around ordaining women deacons both here in Australia and internationally has concentrated on the historical and theological exploration of this issue, but the practical, pastoral and spiritual calling is a crucial element in this movement.
During the webinar we explored all these elements and how we are inspired by St Phoebe in our own lives. For example, I have felt called to be ordained as a deacon since working as a hospital chaplain at St Vincent’s Hospital in the 1990s. Others on the webinar also spoke about their calling and how St Phoebe inspires them.
One of our main speakers was Ellie Hidalgo, Co-director of the US-based group Discerning Deacons and a significant contributor to the global Synodal process. Ellie also helped to animate 350 sessions that reached nearly 9000 people in the US during the first listening phase of the Synod.
Ellie has accompanied women engaged in prophetic diaconal ministry in the Amazon, a profound experience, considering as she said, that the Amazon is often considered to be “the lungs of the world”. She also travelled to Rome during the first and second global Synod assemblies.
Ellie highlighted both the practical and pastoral need for women deacons. In simple terms: “The world needs deacons and the diaconate needs women.” She has been well placed living in Florida in the US to respond to the desperate need of many distressed migrants suffering greatly under the potential threat of deportation or imprisonment, some of whom are too scared to go to Mass. Women such as Ellie are, effectively, working as deacons in these roles, but as in so many dioceses, how much work they can do, often depends on the support of the local bishop.
In emphasising communion, participation and mission, Ellie also emphasised how effectively Pope Francis opened the door on this issue for others to continue the work. She also stressed the important point that the Vatican would not decide to ordain women deacons based on the theological or historical evidence alone but based on practical need.
Our other speaker on the webinar, Australian spiritual director and mystical theologian Kerrie Hide, also highlighted the centrality of the spiritual and mystical dimension in order to respond to the Holy Spirit as St Phoebe did. Kerrie talked about the discernment of the spirit calling us in the movement of Kenosis, self-emptying, a pouring out in love.
Ministry is after all, about caring for the whole person, and needs to focus on responding to human need. Having sacramental capacity and responsibility helps bridge barriers and respond to that need.
Kerrie reminded us that Julian of Norwich and Beguines like Mechthild of Magdeburg and Hadewijch of Antwerp were very much ‘in the world’ and facing similar difficulties to us. Julian of Norwich’s spiritual principle, the Movement of ‘Oneing’, is taking place now, despite the challenges facing women in the Church, and that we live in a world in turmoil.
We are becoming one in community across the world. There are undoubtedly risks associated with being part of a divine movement. Yet despite sometimes feeling abandoned, facing blocks or challenges from Church or society, being involved in things like Liturgy on the Margins helps bring about a communion of consciousness. It unites, sustains and strengthens us, as it did for the Beguines and people like Julian. The Holy Spirit cannot be stopped.
To view the 2025 Feast of St Phoebe webinar and an archive of previous webinars, click here.
Joanna Thyer
Joanna Thyer is a member of Australian Catholics Exploring the Diaconate and a published author. She has worked in various ministries in health, community and education for more than 30 years.
Liturgy on the Margins 