Joan Chittister is “A Thunderclap” on Australian Tour

An Australian man who saw Joan Chittister’s lecture at Adelaide Town Hall wrote to Benetvision to describe the profound effect she had on him through that speech and over the last several years. He writes:
 
“This was an extraordinary experience which is like a thunderclap in my heart.
 
As Sister Joan spoke, I could not help but wonder, “What have I got myself into?” Not because it was bad or I disagreed with her. Most certainly not! It was the deep sense that something more can happen, something more needs to happen and my purpose as a local parish minister in a Protestant church in the Adelaide hills needs the thunder to wake me up.
 
As the church we have failed and are failing in so many ways. We have reduced our work to sound bites, pet theories and careless shrugs of the shoulders as if to say, “It’s ok, we’re not the only ones who don’t know what to do. We’re not the only ones who have lost our youth. We’re not the only ones who allow sexism to persist. We’re wrong, but so is everyone else.”
 
And then, the thunderclap. Sister Joan says not only that we need to do something, but we can do something. The common good is worthy of our attention, but the common good is not so common if we allow prejudices to prevail in our thinking, in our structures, in our words, in our prayers, in our hymns.
 
Sister Joan finished her lecture, but it seems the thunder is not done with me. For as Sister Joan walk down the aisle she walked right past me and we looked at each other. And then she raised her finger and pointed it at me. (At least, I am sure she did). Whatever words she said I did not hear. The pointing finger is enough.
 
Sister Joan has been and is a thunder-clap in my heart. Relentlessly summoning from me the courage and capacity to be a presence and a voice where conviction and change work hand in hand.”