EPISCOPAL DEACONESSES
Celebrating the life and ministry these unsung heroes of the Church
In the Episcopal Church, Deaconesses were faith-filled women who were the early pioneers of servant ministry. Being "set apart" as a deaconess by their bishops was one of the few ways women could serve the Church in the years before the ordination of women.
It's been recorded that four deaconesses were ordained by Bp. William Whittingham of Maryland in September, 1856. At the time, women in the USA were not ordained as deacons. In 1970, the last of some 500 deaconesses were ordained. That same year, when General Convention voted to allow women to be ordained as deacons, the deaconesses were automatically included in this group.
RESOURCES
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Sisters in Faith website, by Deacon Patricia Marks.
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Presentation on Deaconess Harriet Bedell, by Deacon Tracie Middleton.
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Presentation on Deaconess Adeline Blanchard Tyler, prepared by Deacon Daphne Noyes for Episcopal Women's History Project.
DEACONESS FEAST DAY
Deaconesses have been added to the liturgical calendar, on November 4, under the heading Deaconess Adeline Blanchard Tyler and her Companions.
We've created a Bulletin insert honoring the Episcopal deaconesses.
Commemorations of many historic deaconesses, and deacons is available from Lesser Feasts & Fasts.
HISTORY
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Unlocking the History of the Deaconesses, by The Living Church, 2022, exploring the 100-year-old book,The Memorial Book of the Retirement Fund for Deaconesses.
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1916 Alumnae Bulletin, New York Training School for Deaconesses.
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The Deaconess and her ministry in the Episcopal Church, National Conference of Deaconesses, 1949.
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School for Deaconesses, New York, 1911. (Stereoscopic image)
Procession of Deaconess candidates, NYC, 1914