Surprising Relevance of Ancient Desert Monastics Maureen Feidler of Interfaith Radio interviewed Joan Chittister about her book, In God's Holy Light . What in the world would monks and nuns who lived in the Egyptian desert centuries ago have to teach the modern world? Well, Sister Joan Chittister, herself a beloved Benedictine nun, looked into the writings of these early monastics and found lots of relevant messages--including insights on immigration, racism, and even capitalism.