Gloria DeGaetano, founder and CEO of the Parent Coaching Institute, has been awarded a one-month writers' residency from the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania. The residency competition emphasized themes of justice and compassion, initiatives championed by Sister Joan Chittister, an advocate for justice, peace, and equality, particularly for women worldwide, who has been a visionary spiritual voice for over three decades.
DeGaetano expressed both excitement and surprise at the selection, noting she is working on a book about technology and families that takes a different approach from her previous works. She submitted a proposal for the residency competition out of respect for Sister Joan, whom she described as one of the most influential religious and social leaders of our time. The honor of being selected allows her to focus intensely on her writing project.
She has chosen March 2026 for her residency, which includes room and board at the Benedictine monastery, providing seclusion, natural surroundings, and a break from daily routines. DeGaetano views this as a positive disruption from her responsibilities at the PCI office and home, aiming to concentrate fully on her next book. On productive days, she writes between 1,000 and 2,000 words, with a goal of completing a majority of the first draft during the residency. If successful, she anticipates producing 30,000 to 50,000 words, hoping most will be useful for the final manuscript.
The Benedictine Sisters of Erie have a rich history dating back to their origins with the Benedictine nuns at St. Walburg Abbey in Eichstätt, Bavaria, Germany, founded in 1035. Sisters from there first came to St. Mary's, Pennsylvania, in 1852 to educate children of German immigrants. They have long supported the poor and needy while advocating for social justice. The writers' residency is part of their ministries, which also include the Inner City Neighborhood Art House, offering arts classes to at-risk children; Benetwood Apartments, providing low-income housing for the elderly and handicapped; and Monasteries of the Heart, an online community promoting Benedictine values.
The Parent Coaching Institute is recognized as an innovative leader in parent coach training, attracting skilled professionals to its year-long, online Parent Coach Certification® program. Offered in affiliation with Southern New Hampshire University, this graduate-level distance-learning program enrolls family support experts through an application process. Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Spring Term, beginning in late February. Those submitted before December 31, 2025, receive a $500 tuition discount, with a final deadline of February 1. For more information or to download an application form, please visit https://www.ThePCI.org.
