Dear Friends in Christ,

One of the saints who has been rediscovered in the history of the church is St.Phoebe, whom St. Paul references in his letter to the Romans 16:1-2:

I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is also a deacon of the church at Cenchrae, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the holy ones, and help her in whatever she may need from you. For she has been a benefactor to many and to me as well.  

Her acknowledgment as a deacon in the early church has inspired many Catholics around the world today to join together in calling for the ordination of women to the diaconate. Those voices include my own and numerous members of our NE Seattle Catholic Community. The question of ordaining women as deacons remains open. In the meantime, there is growing interest in recognizing and promoting women's gifts to break open the word of God in our liturgical gatherings. This coming weekend, we will have the privilege of once again hearing from several women who will offer reflections on the Sunday readings following the priest's homily. Last year, you may recall that three young women in high school offered reflections. This year, several mother/daughter pairs will offer their thoughts on the word of God we hear.

Please join me in welcoming the message these women will share with us. Let us continue to pray for discerning hearts as the Holy Spirit guides the church to recognize all the gifts God has given us to proclaim the gospel of Jesus.

Blessings of peace,

Fr. William Heric, Pastor