Catholic organizations launch new effort, ‘DeaconChat,’ to initiate dialogue on women deacons

The Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, FutureChurch, and Voice of the Faithful are launching a new initiative to foster education and conversation on women deacons. DeaconChat brings Catholics―both lay and ordained―into dialogue.

On May 12, 2016, Pope Francis―responding to a question posed by members of the International Union of Superiors General―said that he would establish a commission to study the question of ordaining women deacons in the Roman Catholic Church. That commission was formally announced in August and began its work in November of 2016.

“Already in 2013, AUSCP called for consideration of ordaining women deacons. As the papal commission continues its work, it is important that Catholics―lay and ordained―undergo their own study and discernment of the history and present possibility of ordaining women to the diaconate,” said Fr. Bob Bonnot, Chair of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests. “Deacon Chat provides that opportunity.”

“This initiative is designed to foster educational efforts to enrich dialogue on women deacons,” said Donna B. Doucette, Executive Director of Voice of the Faithful. “The program has three important components: learning, sharing, and connecting.”

“The initiative includes important educational materials, a link to purchase Phyllis Zagano’s book Women Deacons: Past, Present and Future, and guides for inviting clergy to dialogue,” said Deborah Rose-Milavec, Executive Director of FutureChurch. “We hope Catholics in the United States and around the world will be inspired to start a conversation in their parish.”

Go to www.CatholicWomenDeacons.org/support/deaconchat to download the DeaconChat materials.

Contact:
Fr. Bob Bonnot, Chair, Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, 330-397-1257, auscpbonnot@gmail.com
Deborah Rose-Milavec, Executive Director, FutureChurch, 513.673.1401, debrose@futurechurch.org
Donna Doucette, Executive Director, Voice of the Faithful, 1-781-559-3360, bdoucette@votf.org