Chautauqua Institution

One week after the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York experienced the brutal attack on novelist Salman Rushdie, they hosted Joan Chittister as the featured speaker in the Hall of Philosophy.

In her speech on August 19th, Sister Joan spoke about the need for courage and a prophetic witness in the current climate. Over 900 people attended the talk, with the crowd overflowing from the Hall of Philosophy for a block in every direction. One of the people in the crowd was Sue Ouellette, an Episcopal deacon. She remarked afterward that, "My role is to be a thorn in the side of the Church, and Sister Joan is such an incredible example of that––she is a beacon of faithfulness."