Dr. Phyllis Zagano on Women Deacons, Dominican Charism, and the Future of the ChurchWe discuss the importance of engaging with local community needs and the pursuit of social justice. Whether you are interested in deepening your own spirituality or learning about the ministry work happening in Long Island, this episode offers valuable perspectives on living out a mission of joy and hope.This conversation with Dr. Phyllis Zagano explores the long history of women in the diaconate, the current Vatican and synodal conversation about women in church leadership, and how Catholic social teaching shapes the church’s response to real-world problems. It also highlights the Dominican Sisters of Amityville and their charisms of preaching, teaching, and scholarship.Timestamps(00:00) Opening the conversation and introducing Dr. Phyllis Zagano(02:22) Long Island upbringing and academic path(03:01) Early connections to the Dominican Sisters of Amityville(04:03) The history of women deacons in the early church(05:06) Women in Vatican administration versus ordained ministry(06:57) Why canon law and church culture shaped the diaconate(07:48) The Eastern church and the modern ordination of Deaconess Angelique(08:43) Why the synod keeps the question of women deacons open(10:19) Cultural resistance, clerical misogyny, and women’s dignity(11:44) The Dominican Sisters’ charism of preaching and teaching(13:05) Education, retirement, and social service ministries(14:12) Catholic social teaching and the upcoming book Just Church(15:33) Women, lay ministries, and the future of synodal discernment(16:39) The church as the people of God and the challenges it faces(18:02) Why preaching matters and where people can find it(19:43) Faith, doubt, and staying open to mystery(20:15) Closing thanks and final reflectionsWe Move Forward Together, an initiative of the Amityville Dominican Sisters, invites individuals and groups to connect with us through our existing ministries to explore spirituality, ecology, social justice and community building. Through events and experiences, participants make new friends, forge new ministries and create partnerships in order to advance justice and truth for all.Website: www.sistersofstdominic.org We Move Forward Together: info@wmft.org Dominican Associates: associates@amityop.org• Social Justice & Empowerment: Learn about our sponsored ministry, Opening Word (OPW), a literacy, ESOL, and job readiness program that holistically empowers adult immigrant women, addressing needs such as mental health and housing. Discover the Visitation Community in Copiague, which provides essential services like food, rental assistance, and temporary housing to immigrant families and refugees.• Ecology & Sustainability: Follow our commitment to Pope Francis' Laudato Si' Action Platform. See the results of our partnership with the Peconic Land Trust, which created an agricultural conservation easement on 10.4 acres of our Motherhouse property for perpetual preservation and organic projects, including planting sunflowers and caring for honeybees.• Community & Spirituality: Explore We Move Forward Together (WMFT), an initiative inviting individuals and groups to connect with us to advance justice and truth for all by exploring spirituality, ecology, social justice, and community building.Seek Out More Information and Join Our Mission:We invite you to follow our stories and subscribe as we continue to journey forward together. You can become partners in our mission through several avenues:• Dominican Associates: Women and men, single or married, who are companions to the Sisters in the journey of "Holy Preaching".• Dominican Young Adults: Those aged 18-35 captured by the spirit of St. Dominic to "preach with their lives".• Volunteers: Opportunities are available at the Motherhouse in Amityville or within our ministries.Subscribe to follow our stories and join our mission as we journey forward together.
