Joan Chittister

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Sister Joan D. Chittister (born 26 April 1936) is an American Benedictine nun and writer. She was awarded the Pax Christi USA Pope Paul VI Teacher of Peace Award in 1990, and the Thomas Merton Award in 2001. She writes frequently for the National Catholic Reporter.

Chittister is an international lecturer and advocate for the rights of women, children, the poor and the disenfranchised. She is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania. She founded and is director of Benetvision, a resource and research center for Contemporary Spirituality that is also located in Erie. Her books include The Rule of Benedict: Insight for the Ages, The Seasons of Life: A Time for Reflection, The Psalms: Meditations for Every Day of the Year, and In the Heart of the Temple: My Spiritual Vision for Today's World. Chittister has called for a churchwide discussion on the topic of the ordination of women. This is a controversial issue in the Catholic Church, since the instruction given by Pope John Paul II in Ordinatio sacerdotalis states that it is definitive doctrine that the Church has no authority to ordain women.