Joanna Manning

Who is Joanna Manning?

Joanna Manning is a feminist activist and former Roman Catholic nun currently living in Canada. Originally from Britain, she joined the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and studied medieval history before leaving the religious life and marrying in 1970. She then moved to Toronto and worked as an administrator within the Roman Catholic school boards.

Manning eventually grew dissatisfed with the teachings of her church and sought to reform its patriarchal system from within, something which provoked the ire of the Archibshop of Toronto. She has written a number of books about her demands for reform and has written for local Toronto newspapers on the topic. Following the election of Pope Benedict XVI, Manning was received into the Anglican Church of Canada in which she was ordained a deacon on 1 May 2011 by Colin Johnson and a priest on 27 November 2011.