Sir, - I, Phoebe, a friend of Paul and a deacon of the Church at Cenchrae (Rom 16: 1-2) am deeply grieved by the news that the Irish Catholic Bishops are going to exclude women from ordination to the diaconate. So are all the faithful women who were ordained up to the ninth century, according to the same sacramental rites as male deacons ( as documented at www.womenpriests.org).
We female deacons have a place in scripture and a place in tradition: Are we going to be excluded from the Irish Church of the 21st century? - Yours, etc.,
Soline Vatinel, Spokeswoman, BASIC, Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.