The Vatican agency, Fides, has published a brief overview on the global number of Catholics, permanent deacons, seminarians, and more.

Ellie Hidalgo joins "Preach" host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to explore St. Phoebe's diaconal ministry and its implications for ongoing debates around women's ordination to the diaconate.

Any decision requires some development in the church’s understanding of the tradition.

Women deacons have become the subject of a growing debate in the Catholic Church.

America Media has released a video explainer about the state of the women deacons question. It looks at the history of women deacons and raises the key theological questions in the debate.

Basketball fans know Steve Javie as a longtime N.B.A. referee and a frequent commentator on ESPN and ABC. But for the parishioners at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Newtown, Pa., he’s Deacon Steve.