Category Archives: Events

Celebration of the Feast of St Phoebe highlights the need for women deacons

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: http://www.goodsams.org.au When St Paul sent Phoebe the deacon to Rome, he trusted herContinue reading “Celebration of the Feast of St Phoebe highlights the need for women deacons”

Webinar Video: Feast of St Phoebe 2025

What a rich Feast! Yesterday we celebrated a wonderful webinar that included presentations by Ellie Hidalgo (Discerning Deacons) and Dr Kerrie Hide (Contemplatio); a prayer meditation by Gail Gill; a snapshot of ACED and our past webinars by Deacon Adrian Gomez; the launch of our public document Potential for Women Deacons in the Australian CatholicContinue reading “Webinar Video: Feast of St Phoebe 2025”

Feast of St Phoebe Webinar 2025

Australian Catholics Exploring the Diaconate, supported by Catholic Religious Australia, invite you to the St Phoebe webinar for 2025: Inspired by St Phoebe and the Mystics Join Casey Stanton (Discerning Deacons) and Dr Kerrie Hide (Contemplatio) to explore the international discernment around women’s access to the diaconate and what women mystics have to teach us.Continue reading “Feast of St Phoebe Webinar 2025”

Letter to Parishes: Celebrating the Feast of St Phoebe this year

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,Continue reading “Letter to Parishes: Celebrating the Feast of St Phoebe this year”

Exploring the Modern Diaconate: Insights from the Parramatta Seminar

Deacon Roderick Pirotta, 20 March 2025 On Saturday 15th March 2025, the Diocese of Parramatta Diaconate community, hosted a significant seminar focusing on the role and evolution of the Diaconate within the Catholic Church. The event, led by Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D., provided a profound exploration of historical foundations, contemporary challenges, and the futureContinue reading “Exploring the Modern Diaconate: Insights from the Parramatta Seminar”

A whirlwind 6 days in Rome!

Deacon Tony Hoban *, 13 March 2025 I present here a reflection on my experience of travelling recently to Rome for the International Diaconate Centre (IDC) Study Conference and then the Jubilee for Deacons. I want to express my thanks my Bishop Vincent Long, Bishop of Parramatta, for supporting a great deal of my costContinue reading “A whirlwind 6 days in Rome!”

National (Australian) Deacons Conference 2025

Adelaide Hills Convention Centre, Hahndorf Discovery Parks Deborah Robertson and Elizabeth Young rsm, 6 March 2025 Firstly, from Deborah:  On Thursday 27th February around 80 participants gathered for the biennial conference for Catholic deacons in Australia, their wives and other friends and associates. Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Balvo attended for the whole conference along withContinue reading “National (Australian) Deacons Conference 2025”

Reflections on the Discussion on Women Deacons – 15th October, 2024, Rome

Joanna Thyer, 24/10/24 Recently, one of our members of Australian Catholics Exploring the Diaconate was a panel speaker in Rome at another side-of-the-Synod event. Thank you, Joanna! She shares her experience here in her own words. My feeling about speaking at this adjunct event for the Synod – about women who feel called to theContinue reading “Reflections on the Discussion on Women Deacons – 15th October, 2024, Rome”