{{Short description|Roman Catholic nun, activist, writer and academic}} {{bots|deny=InternetArchiveBot}} {{Infobox person | name = Joan Chittister | image = | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|post-noms=O.S.B.}} | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Joan Daugherty | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1936|4|26}} | birth_place = DuBois, Pennsylvania, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = University of Notre Dame<br> Penn State University | title = Roman Catholic nun | website = {{URL|http://joanchittister.org/}} }} '''Joan Daugherty Chittister''' {{Post-nominals|post-noms=O.S.B.}} (born April 26, 1936<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Christian Literature|volume=2|editor-last1=Kurian|editor-first1=George Thomas|editor-last2=Smith|editor-first2=James D. III|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2010|page=252}}</ref>), is an American Benedictine nun, theologian, writer, and speaker. She has served as a Benedictine prioress, Benedictine federation president, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women.
==Biography==
=== Early life === Chittister was born on April 26, 1936, to Daniel and Loretta Daugherty. Her father died when she was very young and her mother married Harold Chittister. Joan Chittister described her step-father as a violently abusive alcoholic.<ref name=Cummings>{{Cite web|url=https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/joan-chittister|last=Cummings|first=Kathleen Sprows|title=Joan Chittister|website=Commonweal|date=April 25, 2016}}</ref>
=== Education === She was educated by Sisters of St. Joseph, and later attended St. Benedict Academy in Erie, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor's degree in English at Mercyhurst University, graduating in 1962, a master's degree in communication arts from the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1968, and a Ph.D. in speech communication theory from Penn State University, graduating in 1971.<ref name="America">{{Cite web |last=Salai |first=Sean |date=2014-09-10 |title=Faith and Justice: 14 Questions for Sister Joan Chittister OSB |url=https://www.americamagazine.org/content/all-things/faith-and-justice-14-questions-sister-joan-chittister-osb |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=America Magazine |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Roth |first=Mark |date=2005-06-27 |title=A life dedicated to her faith, questioning its policies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-dRAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Joan+Chittister%22&pg=PA1&article_id=2086,4065840 |access-date=2024-04-08 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |pages=A5}}</ref> She is also an elected fellow of St. Edmunds College at the University of Cambridge.<ref>[https://www.stkate.edu/newswire/news/myser-lecturer-chittister-explores-role-public-intellectual St Catherine University website, ''Myser lecturer Chittister explores role of public intellectual'', article dated October 31, 2014]</ref><ref>[https://my.sjcme.edu/mission/sr-joan-chittister-webinar-the-time-is-now-the-call-to-uncommon-courage/ St Joseph’s College of Maine website, ''Sr. Joan Chittister webinar: The Time is Now - The Call to Uncommon Courage'', article dated February 17, 2022]</ref>
=== Career === Chittister entered religious life in 1957, at age 21.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Nathaniel |date=2023-03-02 |title=The contemplative life is for everyone, says Joan Chittister |url=https://uscatholic.org/articles/202303/the-contemplative-life-is-for-everyone-says-joan-chittister/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=U.S. Catholic |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1978-02-25 |title=Church puts down women with sexist language: Nun |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1pAjAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Joan+Chittister%22&pg=PA12&article_id=1249,5672359 |work=The Montreal Gazette |pages=12 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Within her first week, she contracted polio, which put her in an iron lung for several months; it took four years for her to fully recover.<ref name=":1" />
In 1971, Chittister was elected president of the Federation of St. Scholastica, a federation of twenty monasteries of Benedictine women in the United States and Mexico, established in 1922.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.federationofsaintscholastica.org/ Federation of St. Scholastica]</ref> She was a prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania, for 12 years and was a past president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. She served as co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women (2016–2019), an inclusive international network of spiritual and community leaders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalsistersreport.org/authors/joan-chittister|title=Joan Chittister|website=Global Sisters Report|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.gpiw.org/about-us/index.html |access-date=2019-05-03 |website=Global Peace Initiative Women |language=en}}</ref> With this organization, she works to bring a spiritual perspective to conflict resolution fueled by pressing economic and ecological crises across the globe.
Chittister says that women's ordination has never been her primary focus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grossman |first=Cathy Lynn |date=2015-10-26 |title=Sister Joan Chittister, the dissident nun, shares her secret life |url=https://religionnews.com/2015/10/26/sister-joan-chittister-dissident-nun-shares-secret-life/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Religion News Service |language=en-US}}</ref> Her books deal with monasticism, justice and equality especially for women in church and society, interfaith topics, peace and others. She has won 16 Catholic Press Association awards for her books and numerous other awards for her work, including 12 honorary degrees from US universities.<ref>[https://www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preacher/joan-chittister Catholic Women Preach website, ''Joan Chittister'']</ref><ref>[https://www.votf.org/sr-joan-chittister/ Voice of the Faithful website, ''Sr. Joan Chittister'']</ref> She writes a column for the ''National Catholic Reporter'', "From Where I Stand".<ref>{{Cite web |title=From Where I Stand |url=https://www.ncronline.org/columns/where-i-stand |access-date=2018-07-03 |website=National Catholic Reporter |language=en}}</ref>
Penn State University holds the Joan D. Chittister Literary Archives.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/9468.htm |title=Joan Chittister papers, 1971-2017 9468 |website=libraries.psu.edu |language=en |access-date=2018-07-03}}</ref> A biography of Chittister was released by Orbis Books in October 2015, ''Joan Chittister: Her Journey from Certainty to Faith'' by Tom Roberts.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Joan Chittister: Her Journey from Certainty to Faith|last=Roberts|first=Tom|publisher=Orbis Books|year=2015|isbn=9781626981980|edition= Reprint |location=Maryknoll, NY|language=en}}</ref>
==Controversies==
Chittister's stances on contraception and women's ordination are known to contradict the official teachings of the Catholic Church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Ordination of Women: A Question of Authority of Theology by Joan Chittister, O.S.B. |url=http://www.womencanbepriests.org/classic/chitt01.asp |access-date=2021-08-17 |website=www.womencanbepriests.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html Ordinatio Sacerdotalis]</ref> She was one of two nuns prohibited by Church authorities from attending the first Women's Ordination Worldwide conference on June 30, 2001. However, she not only attended, but gave the opening address.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://natcath.org/NCR_Online/documents/Discipleship.htm|title=Full text of Sister Joan Chittister's Address at the Women's Ordination Worldwide conference in Dublin, June 30, 2001.|website=natcath.org|language=en|access-date=2021-08-17}}</ref> In another instance, Chittister rejected the Church's strictures against the 23 nuns who ran an advertisement in the ''New York Times'' attacking the Church's teaching on abortion.
==Bibliography== Chittister has authored over 50 books and over 700 articles in numerous journals and magazines including: ''America'', ''U.S. Catholic'', ''Sojourners'', ''Spirituality'' (Dublin), and ''The Tablet'' (London). She is a regular contributor to the National Catholic Reporter<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joan Chittister |url=https://www.ncronline.org/authors/joan-chittister |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=National Catholic Reporter |language=en}}</ref> and HuffPost, appeared on Oprah Winfrey's ''Super Soul Sunday'' in March 2015 and in May 2019,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-27 |title=Super Soul Special: Sister Joan Chittister: The Time is Now |url=https://www.oprah.com/own-podcasts/super-soul-special-sister-joan-chittister-the-time-is-now |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Oprah.com}}</ref> on ''Meet the Press with Tim Russert'' and ''Now with Bill Moyers''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}
She is the executive director of "Benetvision",<ref name="Benetvision">{{cite web |title=Benetvision |url=http://www.benetvision.org |access-date=2010-12-26 |website=www.benetvision.org}}</ref> a publications ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie.
===Recent publications=== ''Joan Chittister: Essential Writings'', a compilation from her best writing from books, articles and speeches, was published by Orbis Books in August 2014 (ed. Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB, Mary Hembrow Snyder, PhD).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/joan-chittister-mary-lou-kownacki/1119504355|title=Joan Chittister: Essential Writings|last=Noble|first=Barnes &|website=Barnes & Noble|language=en|access-date=2018-07-03}}</ref> In 2015, ''Dear Joan: conversations with women in the church'' was published by Garratt Publishing.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Morales |first=Rosanna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XO6XoAEACAAJ |title=Dear Joan Chittister: Conversations with Women in the Church |date=2015 |publisher=Garratt Publishing |isbn=978-1-925009-16-3 |language=en}}</ref>
* ''Called to Community: The Life Jesus Wants for His People'' (contributor) (Plough Publishing House) (2024) {{ISBN|978-1-63608-093-2}}
* ''Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light'' (Orbis Books) (2024) {{ISBN|978-1-57075-233-9}}
* ''Awakenings: Prophetic Reflections'' (Orbis) (2022) {{ISBN|978-1-62698-464-6}}
* ''The Monastic Heart: 50 Simple Practices for a Contemplative and Fulfilling Life'' (Hodder and Stroughton) (2022) {{ISBN|978-1-3998-0085-3}}
* ''In God's Holy Light: Wisdom from the Desert Monastics'' (Franciscan Media) (2022) {{ISBN|978-1-63253-434-7}}
* {{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H5C2zgEACAAJ |title=An Evolving God, an Evolving Purpose, an Evolving World |date=2022-05-10 |publisher=1517 Media |isbn=978-1-5064-8461-7 |language=en}} * {{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ncKGDwAAQBAJ |title=The Time Is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage |date=2019-03-05 |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-9848-2341-0 |language=en}}<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Time Is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage by Joan Chittister |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781984823410 |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> * {{Cite book |last=OSB |first=Joan Chittister |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BGSbDwAAQBAJ |title=What Are You Looking For?: Seeking the God Who Is Seeking You |date=2019 |publisher=Paulist Press |isbn=978-1-58768-788-4 |language=en}} * ''A Little Rule for Beginners,'' Benetvision, Erie (2018). * {{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FqFItAEACAAJ |title=We are All One: Reflections on Unity, Community and Commitment to Each Other |date=2018 |publisher=Twenty-Third Publications |isbn=978-1-62785-366-8 |language=en}} * {{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HmOaDgAAQBAJ |title=Radical Spirit: 12 Ways to Live a Free and Authentic Life |date=2017-04-25 |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-451-49517-4 |language=en}}<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Radical Spirit: 12 Ways to Live a Free and Authentic Life by Joan Chittister |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780451495174 |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> * ''Two Dogs and a Parrot,'' BlueBridge (2015). * ''In God's Holy Light,'' Franciscan Media: Cincinnati, OH (2015). * ''Between the Dark and the Daylight'', Image Books (2015)<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Between the Dark and the Daylight: Embracing the Contradictions of Life by Joan Chittister |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780804140942 |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> * ''Our Holy Yearnings,'' Twenty-Third Publications. (2014) * ''A Passion for Life,'' (New release) Orbis (2013) * ''For Everything a Season,'' (New release of ''There is a Season''), Orbis (2013) * ''The Way of the Cross,'' Orbis Books: Maryknoll, NY (2013) * ''The Sacred In-Between,'' Twenty-Third Publications (2013) * {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5y7Bg3V4BnkC |title=Following the Path: The Search for a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Joy |date=2012-04-17 |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-307-95398-8 |language=en}} * {{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q1i5RsD4ppoC |title=Happiness |date=2011-09-23 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn=978-0-8028-6481-9 |location=Grand Rapids, MI |language=en}} * ''The Radical Christian Life,'' Liturgical Press. (2011) * {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w5swcgAACAAJ |title=The Monastery of the Heart: An Invitation to a Meaningful Life |date=2011 |publisher=BlueBridge |isbn=978-1-933346-34-2 |language=en}} * {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KpVU3sT8BA8C |title=God's Tender Mercy: Reflections on Forgiveness |date=2010 |publisher=Twenty-Third Publications |isbn=978-1-58595-799-6 |location=Mystic, CT |language=en}} * {{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k-WJQgAACAAJ |title=The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century |date=2010 |publisher=Crossroad Publishing Company |isbn=978-0-8245-2594-1 |language=en}}; revised edition * ''Uncommon Gratitude,'' Liturgical Press: Collegeville, MN. (2010)<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia for All That Is by Joan Chittister, Rowan Williams |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780814630228 |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> * ''The Liturgical Year,'' Thomas Nelson: Nashville, TN. (2009) * ''The Gift of Years,'' Blue Bridge (2008)<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully by Joan Chittister |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781933346106 |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> * ''In Search of Belief'', Liguori, (2006) * {{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BLK-FpHFCe0C |title=Called to Question: A Spiritual Memoir |date=2004-04-24 |publisher=Sheed & Ward |isbn=978-1-58051-225-1 |language=en}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|Pennsylvania}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} * [http://www.joanchittister.org Joan Chittister's website] * [http://www.monasteriesoftheheart.org Monasteries of the Heart] *[http://www.eriebenedictines.org Benedictine Sisters of Erie] * [https://www.pbs.org/search/?q=joan%20chittister Public Broadcasting Service, three interviews with Joan Chittister] *[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125554708 "NPR Interview: Weekend Edition Sunday with Liane Hansen."] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8ordZ1t5B0 Joan Chittister interviewed on ''Conversations from Penn State''] *[https://www.gpiw.org/ Global Peace Initiative of Women] *[https://www.monasticcongregationss.org/ Federation of St. Scholastica] {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chittister, Joan}} Category:1936 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers Category:20th-century American Roman Catholic nuns Category:20th-century American women writers Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers Category:21st-century American Roman Catholic nuns Category:21st-century American women writers Category:American Benedictines Category:American Christian pacifists Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American Roman Catholic writers Category:American women non-fiction writers Category:Benedictine prioresses Category:Catholics from Pennsylvania Category:Catholic pacifists Category:Communication theorists Category:Dissident Roman Catholic theologians Category:Pennsylvania State University alumni Category:Activists from Pennsylvania Category:Polio survivors Category:Roman Catholic activists Category:University of Notre Dame alumni Category:Writers from Erie, Pennsylvania Category:Place of birth missing (living people)