Gloria DeGaetano, founder and CEO of the Parent Coaching Institute, has been awarded a one-month writing residency with 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 for women worldwide.
"I was thrilled and a little bit in shock," DeGaetano said. "I'm working on a book about technology and families that has a different slant from my previous books." She expressed deep respect for Sister Joan Chittister, calling her "one of the most influential religious and social leaders of our time."
DeGaetano will participate in the residency during March 2026 at the Benedictine monastery, where writers receive room and board while working in seclusion surrounded by nature. "I am looking forward to this type of disruption," she added. "It's a good disruption of 30 days away from the PCI office, even my home, to concentrate on my next book."
The writer aims to produce 30,000 to 50,000 words during the residency, potentially completing most of the first draft of her book. On productive days, DeGaetano typically writes between 1,000 and 2,000 words.
The Benedictine Sisters of Erie trace their origins to 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. The organization has a long history of supporting the poor and advocating for social justice through various ministries including the Inner City Neighborhood Art House, which provides arts classes to at-risk children, Benetwood Apartments offering low-income housing, 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 through its year-long online Parent Coach Certification® program, offered in affiliation with Southern New Hampshire University. The graduate-level distance learning program enrolls family support experts through an application process, with applications now being accepted for the 2026 Spring Term beginning in late February. Applications submitted before December 31, 2025 receive a $500 tuition discount, with a final deadline of February 1, 2026.
