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Mary Lou Kownacki, a Benedictine nun and writing partner of Joan Chittister, was an activist in the Christian nonviolence movement and blogger of “Old Monk’s Journal” a 12-year collection of personal and spiritual writings offering rare glimpses into monastic life and the best-loved feature of the Monasteries of the Heart website.
These lovingly chosen selections including those when Kownacki was nearing the end of her life, offer timeless wisdom on faith, community, activism, and the things that truly matter.
Mary Lou Kownacki (1942-2023), a Benedictine Sister of Erie, shared the Gospel’s call to peace, justice, and beauty with her city and the world. An activist, she led Benedictines for Peace and Pax Christi USA; a visionary, she founded a children’s arts program and a soup kitchen; a poet, she wrote several books, including A Monk in the Inner City. She collaborated with Joan Chittister for decades, in their writings and through Monasteries of the Heart (monasteriesoftheheart.org) and Benetvision (joanchittister.org).
