Thirty-six Popes were ordained deacons but never priests. Women deacons were present in the church from the time of St Paul, and the diaconate fell out of favour in the 12th century largely because of evolving clerical practices and disgruntled priests.
Just some of the facts regarding the history of deacons in the catholic church that Dr Phyllis Sagano shared with Pat Coyle in this, part one of an extended interview on the diaconate in the catholic church.
Dr Sagano is Professor of Religion at Hofstra University in New York, the author of many books, and a specialist on the diaconate. She was appointed to Pope Francis's first commission on the diaconate in 2016.
