Kathleen Deignan

Kathleen P. Deignan, CND, (born 17 December 1947), is an Irish-American theologian, spiritual teacher, author, and songwriter of contemporary liturgical and contemplative music. A Sister of the Congregation of Notre Dame, she earned a Bachelors Degree in English Literature from Sacred Heart University, Fairfield CT; a Masters degree in the History of Christian Spirituality and Doctorate in Historical Theology from Fordham University, NY. She was composer-in-residence for Schola Ministries at the former Benedictine Grange for 40 years. Founding director of the Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit Institute at Iona University (New Rochelle, New York), New York, where she continues to serve as Emerita Professor of Religious Studies.

Deignan previously directed the Iona Institute for Peace and Justice Studies in Ireland and is a visiting lecturer at ''An Croí'' Wisdom Institute, Drogheda, Ireland. She is a GreenFaith Fellow who completed an intensive training in religious environmental leadership which she practices in a variety of forums. Her work in this area focuses on the legacy of Father Thomas Berry with whom she studied at Fordham University.

She is Emerita President of the International Thomas Merton Society and a former Board Member of the American Teilhard Association. She is an author, public speaker, and environmental advocate. Her books include ''ChristSpirit: The Eschatology of Shaker Christianity''; ''When the Trees Say Nothing: Thomas Merton's Writings on Nature;'' ''Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours''; ''Teilhard de Chardin: A Book of Hours'' (co-edited with Libby Osgood, CND); ''and Thomas Berry: A Book of Hours''. She hosts several monthly podcasts for the Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit: "Becoming Earthling" with Scott Thompson; "Eldering in Grace"; and the Berry Forum Contemplative Circle with Brother Kevin Cawley, CFC. A Retreat facilitator and animator she has presented nationally and internationally on a range of subjects that serve the awakening of an ecozoic spirituality and practice.

Her music is freely available on YouTube at Kathleen Deignan Music (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kathleen+deignan+music) Provided by Wikipedia