Welcome to Magdalene House
An introduction to who we are, why we chose Mary Magdalene as our patron, and what it means to be an Open and Affirming Independent Eastern Catholic community in Phoenix, Arizona.
"I have seen the Lord." — St. Mary Magdalene, John 20:18
There is a moment in the Gospel of John that has always moved me deeply. It is early in the morning, still dark, and Mary Magdalene is standing outside an empty tomb. She has come to anoint the body of someone she loved — and he is gone. She weeps. And then, through her tears, she hears her name spoken by the Risen Christ, and everything changes.
That moment — the darkness before dawn, the grief, the turning, the recognition — is the heartbeat of Magdalene House.
Who We Are
Magdalene House is an Independent Eastern Catholic community in the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona. We are a community in formation, gathering each week for the Divine Liturgy, Great Vespers, the Rosary of Divine Love, and other services of the ancient Eastern rite. We draw from the deep wells of the Christian East — its icons, its chant, its theology of deification, its integration of prayer and daily life — to offer a full sacramental and communal home to all who come.
We are an Open and Affirming congregation. That is not a footnote or a qualifier — it is central to who we are. We welcome people of all races, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and backgrounds into the full life of this community: its worship, its sacraments, its ministry, and its leadership. There is no asterisk on the invitation of Christ.
Why Mary Magdalene?
We chose her as our patron not because she is a safe or conventional choice, but because she is exactly the right one. She was the first witness of the Resurrection. She was sent by Christ himself to carry the news to the Apostles — which is why the Eastern Catholic tradition honors her as Isapostolos, Equal to the Apostles. She is the patron of the seeking, the wounded, and the found.
Her story is the story of this community. She came to the tomb in grief and left in joy. She encountered Christ not in a temple or a throne room, but in a garden, through tears, when she heard her name. That is the kind of encounter we believe is still possible — for anyone, in any season of life.
The Eastern Catholic Tradition
For those unfamiliar with the Eastern Catholic tradition, a brief word of introduction. Eastern Catholicism is not Roman Catholicism with different decorations. It is a distinct family of Christian churches that trace their roots to the ancient churches of the East — the churches of Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Jerusalem — with their own liturgical rites, theological emphases, and spiritual practices.
At Magdalene House, we celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern rite, with its ancient prayers, its incense, its chanting, and its icons. We venerate the Theotokos — the God-bearer, the Mother of God — with deep love. We practice the Jesus Prayer and the hesychast tradition of contemplative prayer. We believe in a theology of theosis — the transforming union of the human person with the divine life of the Trinity — as the very purpose of Christian existence.
We are a member community of the Ascension Alliance, under the omophorion of Archbishop ALAN (Kemp) and our local bishop, Bishop HILDEGARD (Longoni), who share our commitment to an open, affirming, and sacramentally full Catholic life.
An Invitation
If you have been wounded by the Church, you are welcome here. If you have never set foot in a church, you are welcome here. If you are LGBTQ+, you are welcome here — not despite who you are, but as who you are. If you are a lifelong Catholic seeking the riches of the Eastern tradition, you are welcome here. If you are simply curious, that is more than enough.
We do not have a building yet — we are a community in formation, gathering in homes and rented spaces as we grow. But we have the Eucharist, we have each other, and we have the ancient prayers of the Church. That is where every community begins.
Our weekly schedule includes:
- Divine Liturgy — Sunday at 9:00 AM
- Great Vespers — Saturday at 5:00 PM
- Rosary of Divine Love — Friday at 5:00 PM
- Confession — Saturday 4:15 PM and Sunday 8:30 AM
We would love to have you join us. You can reach us through the Contact page, or call us at 602.888.4273. Father Joseph is available for pastoral conversations, spiritual direction, and simply getting to know you.
Come and see. That is all the Resurrection ever asks.
Fr. Joseph
Pastor, Magdalene House