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Joan ChittisterAmerican Benedictine nun, theologian, writer and speaker
Date of Birth: 26.04.1936
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Joan D. Chittister: A Pioneering Benedictine Nun
- Monastic Career
- Peacemaking and Activism
- Authorship and Recognition
- Controversy and Advocacy
- Bibliography
- Benetvision
Joan D. Chittister: A Pioneering Benedictine Nun
Early Life and EducationJoan D. Chittister (born April 26, 1936) is an American Benedictine nun, theologian, author, and speaker. She was born in Pennsylvania and attended St. Joseph's Sisters' schools, later entering the Benedictine Academy in Erie, Pennsylvania. Chittister holds a Master's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in Speech Communication from Pennsylvania State University. She is also a Fellow of St. Edmund's College, Cambridge University.
Monastic Career
In 1971, Chittister was elected President of the Federation of Saint Scholastica, a federation of twenty Benedictine monasteries in the United States and Mexico. She served as Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania, for twelve years, and was the former President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Women Religious.
Peacemaking and Activism
Chittister is a Co-President of the Global Peace Initiative of Women (2016-2019), an inclusive international network of spiritual and civic leaders. She brings a spiritual perspective to conflict resolution in the face of deepening economic and ecological crises worldwide. Chittister has stated that the ordination of women has never been her primary focus.
Authorship and Recognition
Chittister's writings focus on monasticism, justice and equality, particularly for women in the Church and society, interfaith topics, peace, and more. She has received sixteen Catholic Press Association awards for her books and numerous other honors for her work, including twelve honorary doctorates from universities in the United States. She contributes a column to the National Catholic Reporter entitled "From Where I Stand." The Pennsylvania State University holds the Joan D. Chittister Literary Archive.
Controversy and Advocacy
Chittister's positions on contraception and the ordination of women have been known to contradict official Catholic teaching. She was one of two nuns barred by church authorities from attending the first World Conference on the Ordination of Women on June 30, 2001. However, she not only attended but gave the keynote address. In another instance, Chittister defended the Church's criticism of twenty-three nuns who placed an advertisement in the New York Times criticizing the Church's teaching on abortion.
Bibliography
Chittister has authored over fifty books and more than seven hundred articles in numerous journals and magazines, including America, US Catholic, Sojourners, Spirituality (Dublin), and The Tablet (London). She regularly contributes to NCRonline.org and HuffingtonPost.com, and has appeared on Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul Sunday (March 2015) and Meet the Press with Tim Russert (May 2019).
Benetvision
Chittister is the Executive Director of Benetvision, the publishing ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie.
