What Are The Differences Between Religious Orders?

The differences between religious orders are fewer than one might initially expect. For someone who is beginning their discernment process, this may come as a surprise, as it is easy to feel a little overwhelmed at the number religious orders in existence today (Franciscans, Benedictines, Dominicans, Carmelites, Trappists, etc.). However, they all bear common features that are the hallmark of religious life, such as; community prayer (primarily the Divine Office), community meals, labor/work, private prayer, meditation, study, and of course religious vows (the vows of the evangelical counsels; poverty, chastity, and obedience). There also may be similarities in the formation process as well, which is often divided into five "stages"; observant/aspirant, postulant, novice, simply professed, and solemnly professed (or perpetual vows). The discernment process usually continues for about 5-8 years until solemn profession. A person is free to leave any time prior to solemn profession (It is important to note that although these external similarities exist, much still depends on the unique dynamic within each community, which is governed largely by its superior.

The schedules of religious communities may also share basic similarities. An example horarium (daily schedule) of a contemplative community may be fairly regimented, such as;

Ccontemplative Community (example)
5:00 AM, Rise
5:30 AM, Office of Readings (Matins) / Morning Prayer (Lauds)
6:30 AM, Holy Mass
7:45 AM, Breakfast
9:30 AM, Morning Chores / Classes
12:50 PM, Mid Day Prayer (Terce/None)
1:30 PM, Lunch (with spiritual readings)
2:30 PM, Free Time / Siesta
4:30 PM, Vespers, Meditation
6:00 PM, Private Study
7:30 PM, Supper / Free Time
8:30 PM, Night Prayer (Compline)
9:30 PM, Lights Out

Typically, orders that are more "contemplative", such as the Benedictines, tend to allot more time to community prayer, and have a more rigorous schedule (as shown above). Conversely, orders that are more "active", such as the Franciscans, Dominicans, or Jesuits, tend to allot more time to an apostolate (serving the community in some capacity). However, whether a religious community is more active or contemplative, they all share this fundamental component, that is; heart of their life is prayer, and of self-conversion and renunciation for the sanctification of the Church. Every religious community in the world recites the same prayers of the Divine Office each day, breathing together in the same rhythm of prayer. According to Saint Therese, the existence of religious communities are so vital that, if one were to draw an analogy to the Mystical body of Christ, they would be considered the heart. Saint Faustina confirms this reality; "I learned that the world's existence is maintained by chosen souls; that is, the religious orders." (This reality is all the more disconcerting for us today, with the number of religious sisters in the US plummeting by 120,000 just in the past forty years!)

At first glance, such a schedule as the one shown above may seem repetitive and constricting. For those of us living in the world and still influenced by a utilitarian wordlview, we may be tempted to think that nuns and monks are wasting their time. One might hear the argument; "Prayer is important, yes, but what are they doing to contribute to the world?" (as if prayer is not the greatest contribution one can perform). And yet, as Our Lord told Saint Faustina, more souls are saved through prayer and sacrifice alone than through missions and preaching. And it is precisely behind the walls of the enclosure that enables religious to accomplish this work of Christ, whether active or contemplative. It is in this rhythmic exchange of prayer, labor, and rest, that religious are liberated from the distractions of the world, free to devote themselves wholly to God alone. As Our Lord said, it was not Martha who chose the better part, occupying herself with many concerns, but Mary, sitting at the feet of her Jesus (Lk 10:42). This is the life of chosen souls, of alter-Magdalene's, who, lost in the gaze of Our Lord through prayer, are lifted to greater heights where love becomes easy, ready to die to self-love by degrees through the vow of obedience and a thousand small sacrifices for souls. In this sense the schedule itself is a perpetual sacrifice of great merit, since religious are bound to it by the vow of obedience, and cannot deviate from it unless given permission do to so. Sacrifice is, by design, built in to the life of a religious. It requires the strength of a warrior, but his battlefield is the ordinary and mundane of daily life. It demands the mighty perseverence of a hero, who unbeknownst to him may spend his years never seeing the fruits of labor or the countless souls he saves.

Saint Faustina, diary, 1933, ¶.61: "O life so dull and monotonous, how many treasures you contain! When I look at everything with the eyes of faith, no two hours are alike, and the dullness and monotony disappear. The grace which is given me in this hour will not be repeated in the next. It may be given me again, but it will not be the same grace. Time goes on, never to return again. Whatever is enclosed in it will never change; it seals with a seal for eternity." [...] "My life is not drab or monotonous, but it varied like a garden of fragrant flowers, so that I don't know which flower to pick first, the lily of suffering, or the rose of love of neighbor, or the violet of humility."

CONTEMPLATIVE ORDERS

"Contemplative orders" (such as Benedictines, Carmelites, Trappists, Carthusians, Cistercians, etc.) are those who primarily focus on inward conversion; to grow in union with Our Lord for the love of God and the salvation souls. Such communities typically have little interaction with the world, so that they may devote themselves to more wholly to prayer and penance for the sanctification of the world. As the angel said at Fatima; "Penance, penance, penance! [...] Make everything you do a sacrifice, and offer it as an act of reparation for the sins by which God is offended, and as a petition for the conversion of sinners". Saint Faustina, who spent her life isolated from the world behind the walls of a convent, describes this life of toiling and battling for souls as a preeminent and necessary function.

diary, November 1935, ¶.539: "By prayer and mortification, we will make our way to the most uncivilized countries, paving the way for the missionaries. We will bear in mind that a soldier on the front line cannot hold out long without support from the rear forces that do not actually take part in the fighting but provide for all his needs; and that such is the role of prayer, and that therefore each one of us is to be distinguished by an apostolic spirit."

Author's Note; The following summaries were compiled as general overviews of some of the more prominent religious orders. The content is not intended to be exhaustive, but only provide a basic introduction to some religious orders. We have thus excluded organizations that do not take consecrated vows, such as priestly societies, and lay organizations.

• 
  Carthusian Monks
  BENEDICTINES: Saint Benedict is considered the founder of Western monasticism (rule founded ca. 525 A.D.). The Benedictine monks were one of the first monks to live in community (see cenobite). Prior to this time, monks typically lived as hermits, or eremites (known as Desert Fathers). Traditionally, Benedictines are cloistered; living within an enclosure with very little to no interaction with the world. Being a coenobitic order, their "world" is the monks around them, which they interact with frequently (community meals, community prayer, community work, etc.). The Benedictine "motto" is ora et labora; Prayer and Work. When not praying the Divine Office, a monks time it usually taken up with some sort of work, not allowing time for idle hands. Traditionally, one is not likely to find Benedictines reciting the Rosary in common, Divine Mercy Chaplet, or other such devotions. Their day (traditionally) is mostly occupied by the recitation of the complete Divine Office (all seven offices, and complete psalms), though many Benedictine communities today vary greatly from this custom. Benedictines are also noted for their excelling in sacred music, especially Gregorian Chant, and the liturgical action. Unfortunately, over the past fifty years, many Benedictine monasteries have become increasingly secularized, losing their fervor and spirit of prayer and relaxing certain traditions. These communities have suffered greatly due to lack of vocations, and in fact, the average age of a monk in a Benedictine monastery today is typically over fifty. However, in recent times there appears to be a new groundswell of orthodox communities forming, dedicated to restoring much of the spirit of its original founder.
  • Cistercians: The Cistercians [O. Cist.], (today known as the "Order of Cistercians of the Common Observance" ), branched out from the Benedictines in the 11th century as a reform. They believed that the Benedictine order had undergone too many developments over the years, and thus sought a more literal application of the Benedictine rule. Up until the 1960's, the Cistercians were so strict that they had to employ sign language in order not to violate monastic silence. Today, however, one might not find much difference between a Benedictine and Cistercian monastery (however, this depends on the individual community). Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a Cistercian monk responsible for the proliferation of the order throughout Europe, founded nearly 200 monasteries in his lifetime.
  • Trappists: The Trappists are also known as the "Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance" [O.C.S.O.]. As the name implies, the Trappists grew out of the Cistercians as another reform in the 17th century. Like the Cistercian reform, the first Trappists strove to follow a stricter observance to the Benedictine Rule. Like most reforms, however, it gradually evolved and relaxed with time. While Trappists today tend to be stricter in external observances (abstinence from meat, stricter separation between religious and laity, recite the complete Divine Office [however not necessarily chanted, or in latin]), internally they have also suffered the influences of secular society, just as other religious communities (as it is said, "you can remove the man from the world, but you cannot remove the world from the man"). Trappists have also become noted for working off the fruits of their labors in an effort to be more self-supportive; fruit cakes, beer, coffee, honey, etc.
• CARTHUSIANS: The Carthusians were founded in the 11th century, and unlike the orders listed above, they are not a branch of the Benedictines. They started independently by Saint Bruno, who was renown for his austere asceticism. The Carthusians are a paradox of sorts, in that they are a "community of hermits". Not only are they isolated from the world, but they are also isolated from one another. They do not eat meals in community, like most other religious orders, nor do they ordinarily perform manual labor together. Most of their time is spent in solitary, within their cell, in which they eat, work, sleep, and pray (it is for this reason that many Carthusian cells are quite spacious, sometimes even with multiple floors). While they only leave their cell for community prayer, this should not give the impression that Carthusians have much free time, as their day is strictly regimented. It is said that the principle form of penance in a Carthusian monastery is not the cord, nor fasting, nor other corporal mortifications, but rather the bell. The Carthusian, it is said, lives by the clock and ultimately dies by the clock.
          The Carthusians tend to be the strictest order in terms of their isolation from the world, which has also allowed them to remain relatively unchanged throughout the centuries (as a result, they tend not to adopt new devotions, such as the Divine Mercy Chaplet). For this reason, many young men just beginning their discernment tend to be attracted to them for their austerity, though roughly 9 out of 10 leave within the first year. There may also be some variance within the order from charterhouse to charterhouse, specifically in the degree of poverty and austerity. Even though the Carthusians are the most radical in terms of external austerity, the environment can only go so far, and is only one component in a larger picture. As is mentioned above, one should not be scandalized to observe some monks to be just as worldly as seculars. Israel was taken from Egypt in one day. But it required more than 40 years before Egypt was taken from Israel.
• CARMELITES: The origins of the Carmelite order has been under debate since the fourteenth century, as some believe it can be traced, at least in spirit, to the prophet Elijah of the Old Covenant, while others maintain it was a contemporary to the Franciscans in the 12th century. ^{[nb., Origin]} While their original way of life was eremitic, the Carmelites eventually took on a more mendicant character. Thus, it is not uncommon today to find a mix among communities, with some that pray and eat meals in common, while others take meals to their cells where they pray in solitary; and some that beg for food, while others remain self-sustained. Compared to the Benedictine orders, Carmelite monks (rather, friars or hermits) traditionally tend to place more emphasis on solitude and contemplation. The original rule, written by Saint Albert, states; "Let each one remain in his cell, or near it, meditating day and night on the law of the Lord and keeping vigil in prayer, unless occupied with other lawful duties."  As such, the Carmelites might be considered a middle-ground of sorts between the eremitic life of the Carthusians and the community life of the Benedictine orders (however the male branch tends to be less strictly enclosed than the female branch, likely due to the necessities of the priestly office).
            The Carmelites are also known for their deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Some of the greatest mystics in the Church were Carmelites, such as Saints Theresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Therese of Lisieux---all three of whom are doctors. Teresa herself was credited for saving the Carmelite order from ruin through her reforms, aided by John who helped establish the male branch under her reforms. Most notably, Teresa and John are regarded as pioneers in Mystical Theology (the study of the union of the soul with God), for it was through their writings that lifted the veil of a subject that, prior to then, was obscure even to most clerics. ^{[nb., Mystical Theology]} Teresa's seminal work in this area, "Interior Castle," details the ascent of the soul to perfection and is also her most popular. However, this author prefers her "Foundations" (an account of the founding of her convents), as it provides much insight into Carmelite spirituality through the many stories and reflections she shares. When John and Teresa first met, John was planning to leave the Carmelites to join the Carthusians, but Teresa asked him to stay to help her reform the Carmelites. Thanks be to God he did. However, his spirituality is still very much heremetical, as it tends to be very rigorous and focussed on the self rather than on charity due to neighbor (Teresa had gently criticised him for this). To say that their writings are a great treasure for the Church would be an understatement. Being doctors (and two of the only four female doctors in Therese and Teresa), their writings are of inestimable worth and ought to be read by all.
          Unfortunately, like most orders today, the Carmelites resemble little of their original glory, as many of their rich traditions, religious zeal, and spirit of penance have been lost. However, there seems to be renewed interest in Carmelite spirituality, and returning to the original spirit of the rule as Vatican II called for. Certainly there is no lack of reading material for a true and proper renewal. And indeed, the Carmelites have no excuse to become truly great, from the pedigree of doctors they enjoy. Today, the Carmelites are divided into two main branches; the Discalced Carmelites [O.C.D] (founded by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross), and the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance [O. Carm.].
• 
  Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration
  POOR CLARES: The Order of Saint Clare is an order of religious women founded by Saint Francis of Assisi and his loyal companion Saint Clare of Assisi. It can be said that Saint Clare complimented Saint Francis, but not in the way that most would expect. Where Saint Francis was an introvert and contemplative at heart, Saint Clare was a zealous missionary and extrovert. Ironically, Our Lord called the contemplative to the marketplace, and the missionary to the convent. (This should be no surprise, however. According to the Saints, to live in a convent, is to live in the very heart of the missionary life of the Church). Thus the Poor Clare's today tend to be cloistered contemplatives. As a basis for understanding Poor Clare spirituality, it is necessary to first understand Franciscan spirituality, since both are closely related and mutually illuminating [see section on Franciscans below]).
• Cloistered Dominican Nuns: (see Dominicans below)

Author's Note: When discerning religious life, it is important to bear in mind the fact that no two communities are alike. Even within orders, the differences can be significant. No two Benedictine communities are exactly alike. No two Franciscan communities are exactly alike, etc. One may even find a Benedictine community spending more time in an apostolate than a Franciscan community. Or one may find a Trappist community to be more lenient than a Benedictine community. Suffice to say, this is why it is important to visit communities first hand, in order to get a more accurate sense of their life.

ACTIVE ORDERS

"Active" orders (Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Missionaries of Charity, etc.) are those who tend to have more direct interaction with the world than contemplative orders. In addition to prayer, active orders may devote some of their "work" time to external apostolates (teaching, preaching, soup kitchens, missions, youth retreats, media apostolates, etc.) rather than to self-supportive ends (gardening, bee farming, candle making, etc.). In this sense, they tend to follow Scripture in a more literal way; to "feed the hungry", "give drink to the thirsty"; to be in the world, but not of the world. Active orders tend to be less bound by the walls of a monastery, and may reassign its members to different locations abroad. Some of the most active orders, such as the Jesuits, may not even be required to live in community, and are thus the most "free" in terms of possible assignments within the Church. Just as a sparrow requires only a few moments of rest on a small branch before taking to flight again, so too are such members called to obediently go where they are told, be it a professor in a school, a spiritual director in a seminary, a manager of a retreat house, or a missionary in a far off land. Typically, active orders are also Mendicant orders, meaning; they live off of the charity of others, rather than trying to be self-supportive (note; Carmelites and Poor Clares are technically mendicants as well).

It is really "Active-Contemplative"
It may be worth noting most active orders are not "active" in the strictest sense of the word, just as many contemplative orders are not strictly cloistered. Rather, they are more precisely active-contemplative, comprising a relative balance between prayer and their apostolates. Saint Thomas Aquinas believed that these mixed orders (orders that have both an active and contemplative dimension) are the most perfect form of religious life--though it is important to again stress the wide variance within orders, with some placing more emphasis on prayer (closer to being strictly cloistered) while others placing more emphasis on work (closer to being strictly active), and everything in between. Much depends on the community; in how much religious fervor they possess, and how well they guard themselves against the spirit of the world, which can be more influential in active life. As Saint Francis of Assisi noted, one cannot be in the world without getting "a little dust on his shoulders". It is thus that mixed orders need to be all the more vigiliant in keeping prayer in its proper place. Padre Pio, for example, was a Capuchin friar--the most active branch of the Franciscans--and yet he spent much of his free time in prayer; even skipping meals to remain in prayer. It was through prayer that he was able to draw on the graces of God, and go out into the world to distribute those graces according to the needs of souls. Even Saint Francis retreated to the mountains to be alone in prayer. In this sense, the heart of the life of every religious--whether active or contemplative--is prayer. As Saint Maximilian Kolbe said, "only prayer obtains the grace of conversion" [...] "All the fruit of our labors directed to the conversion and sanctification of souls depends on prayer".

Author's Note: The following summaries were compiled as general overviews of some of the more prominent religious orders. The content is not intended to be exhaustive, but only provide a basic introduction to some religious orders. We have thus excluded organizations that do not take consecrated vows, such as priestly societies, and lay organizations.

• FRANCISCANS: The Franciscans were founded in the 13th century by Saint Francis, who, in a vision, was charged by God to rebuild My Church, which as you see is falling into ruin. These words proved not only to be true, but also prophetic; the Church indeed was falling into ruin, and Saint Francis indeed saved it; for he sparked a wave of new fervor that swept across the world that lasted for generations (Just read any papal encyclical from this time period. They are all about regularizing the Franciscans).
              Franciscans are typically characterized by their lives of simplicity, penance, poverty, and love for the poor. In a testament written by Saint Francis, the very first sentence contains the following; "The Lord granted me, Br. Francis, to begin to do penance in this way." It is thus fitting that the Franciscan order be regarded as the Order of Penitents. The Franciscan school tends to follow the thought of Franciscan saints, such as St. Bonaventure and Bl. John Duns Scotus, and was responsible for defending the Immaculate Conception in a time when it was still contested, even by St. Thomas Aquinas himself. For this reason, Franciscans and Dominicans have often shared a healthy (and not so healthy at times) competition with one another. Tragically, this has often resulted in a polarization of their two schools, Franciscans vs. Dominicans, where the former avoids Aquinas and the latter avoids Bonaventure and Scotus. Such exclusivity, unforutnately, causes much harm to the Church, and is not unique to these two orders alone; it is common for orders to read only saints within their own tradition and avoid others (And, by doing so, communities today are failing in their own formation. It is not unlike reading five chapters of the Bible for ones life, or contemplating a detail of a painting without ever seeing the whole painting. To be Catholic is to be universal, open to all the gifts of God to the Church. If the Church, for example, places such great importance on the theology of Aquinas, then it is lamentable that religious orders do not also do so in their theology programs).
                 Being a mendicant order, the Franciscans live solely off of the generosity of others, entrusting all to the hands of God. Like the Benedictines, the Franciscans also underwent a number of reforms throughout history, but were consolidated in 1897 into three main bodies; Friars Minor, the Conventuals, and the Capuchins. Some Franciscan communities may be more contemplative in nature, similar to that of monastics. Venerable Mary of Agreda, for instance, a 17th century cloistered Franciscan nun and mystic, received messages from Our Lady on how to live out her religious state;

  Mystical City of God, Book VI, Chp V: "But I...find so few who console with me and try to console my Son in His sorrows....Consider then thy duty, my dearest, and raise thyself above all earthly things and above thyself; for I am calling thee and choose thee to imitate and follow me into the solitude in which I am left by man....Flee from the dangerous intercourse with creatures....I remind thee that there is no exercise more profitable and useful to the soul than to suffer....Therefore, my daughter, embrace the cross, and do not admit any consolation outside of it in this mortal life. By contemplating and feeling within thyself the sacred Passion thou wilt attain the summit of perfection and attain the love of a spouse."

  
  Franciscan Capuchin Sisters of Narareth
  • Friars Minor: The Order of Friars Minor (O.F.M.) were the result of a large consolidation of various branches (Observants, Discalced, Recollects, Riformati, etc.) by Pope Leo XII in 1897. Today the Friars Minor compose the largest body of the Franciscan order, and are criticized as being the most lenient and divorced from the spirit of Saint Francis--an unfortunate exigency considering the OFM's prominent place in the history of the Franciscan order; with roots dating back to first years of the order through the aggregation of the Observants.
  • Friars Minor Conventual: Next to the Observants, the Conventual Franciscans were one of the first reforms of the Franciscan order. They desired to apply the Franciscan spirit to new applications (such as urban city apostolates, rather than remaining in rural areas). As such, the Conventuals were granted various dispensations to relax certain rules in order to carry out specific apostolates. The conventuals tended to take on a more academic spirit than, say, Capuchins for instance. Today, the Conventuals have also suffered from a spirit of laxity, as most communities. However, there have also been great fruits that originated from Conventual communities, such as St. Joseph of Cupertino, St. Bonaventure, and Saint Maximilian Kolbe, known for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
  • Friars Minor Capuchin. The Capuchin reform (O.F.M. Cap.) dates to about 1525, and not unlike the first Observants, they also desired a return to a stricter observance of the Franciscan rule--though, like most reforms, certain elements of its initial fervor declined with time. The Capuchins are more likely to be seen feeding the poor or street evangelizing, rather than writing a book on the liturgy or studying mystical theology. Today, the Capuchin Franciscans tend to be considerably more divorced from their origins. However, there also exists renewed efforts to restore the original spirit of the order. In 1968, Padre Pio--a Capuchin Franciscan and one of the greatest mystics in the Church--wrote a letter to Pope Paul VI in which he stated; "I pray to God that [the Capuchin order] may continue in its tradition of religious seriousness and austerity, evangelical poverty and faithful observance of the Rule and Constitution, certainly renewing itself in the vitality and in the inner spirit, according to the guides of the Second Vatican Council". We have yet to see if such a renewal, which is so desperately needed in all orders, will take root or not.

Author's note: Like many of the major religious orders, the Franciscans and Dominicans have suffered greatly in recent times. It is not uncommon today to see friars watching television, or going to the movies and eating ice cream on a Friday night. The spirit of sacrifice, a hallmark of religious life, has largely been obscured over years, as the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction to a kind of secularized love, absent of any austerities. However, like the Benedictines, the communities of lax traditions tend to be dying away, as new young communities take their place, devoted to a more authentic renewal that Vatican II called for.

• DOMINICANS: The Dominican Order (or "Order of Preachers") was founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century, who saw the need for greater education and engagement of society. As the name implies, the charism of the Dominicans is primarily preaching and teaching "to combat heresy and propagate religious truth". Saint Dominic possessed a great love for Our Lady, and is considered the founder of the Holy Rosary. He was also renown for his theological disputations against heretics, particularly the Albigensians, to which he won many to the faith. In fact, his preaching was so effective, that the enemies of the Church soon resorted to insults and threats, seeing that they were unable to refute his arguments. During this time the Inquisition was also established, for which the popes appointed mostly Dominicans as Inquisitors due to their superior theological training and impeccable virtue.
                Saint Dominic also possessed a great love for souls, which (as Jesus reveals to Saint Catherine of Siena) was the primary reason why he founded the order. This is quite special, since most orders until then were more hermetical in spirit, meaning; they focused more on the self and not so much on charity due to neighbor. It was because of Saint Dominic that the focus of monasticism gradually shifted (or developed?) to include both precepts of love, not just love of God but also love of neighbor. Saint Dominic teaches us the power that words can have on people, especially when they are supported by prayer and sacrifice. Although he practiced many austere penances to the bewilderment of his followers, he also loved heretics deeply and sought to understand their positions in order to effectively engage them. As the Catholic Encyclopedia tells us; "If he abominated heresy and labored untiringly for its extirpation, it was because he loved truth and loved the souls of those among whom he labored. He never failed to distinguish between sin and the sinner. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, if this athlete of Christ, who had conquered himself before attempting the reformation of others, was more than once chosen to show forth the power of God."
                  The Dominican order is also responsible for producing arguably (or perhaps not arguably) the greatest theologian in history, Saint Thomas Aquinas, who the Church has adopted virtually wholesale. No saint is relied upon more by popes in the formulation of dogma or advancement of doctrine than Aquinas. And no saint is recommended more in encyclicals for proper theological formation in priestly studies. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the sum of Catholic theology is based, in large part, on this one saint alone. To put it quite simply, Catholic theology is Thomistic. To dispute this claim is to dispute a fact of history (It is therefore unfathomable today that Aquinas is not required reading in many seminaries).
                 
  
  Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia
  Saint Catherine of Siena, also a doctor of the Church (one of four female doctors), was also a Dominican nun. Although less known than Saint Thomas, she can be considered his compliment. Where Thomas is generally regarded as the greatest theologian, one could make the argument that Catherine was the greatest mystic, surpassing even the desert Fathers in her austerities and continually accompanied by Jesus, Mary, and the saints throughout the day, and receiving---without any education---infused knowledge of the most sublime truths. Her Dialogue is one of the greatest works of mystical theology ever written, and ought to be required reading for anyone who desires to become holy (We recommend starting with the biography written by her spiritual director, Bl. Raymond of Capua, as it is a much easier read and provides the necessary background and context to reading the Dialogue). Perhaps most notably, she shared Dominic's profound longing for the salvation of souls, and was one of the first to write extensively on this, pleading before the throne of God to have mercy on the world (indeed, God regularly encourages her, "never cease offering to Me the incense of fragrant prayers for the salvation of souls; for I want to be merciful to the world.") For this reason, Saint Faustina's diary might be considered very Catherinian in spirit.
                  Although the Dominicans today have largely suffered the same lot as most other orders, and are no longer distinguished as zealous defenders and apologists of the Church, nonetheless there are still signs of hope within the order, especially within the female branch (who are often found within the context of the school system, devoting themselves to the education and formation of the young). Indeed, these communities have been especially flourishing with many vocations, often more than the walls of the enclosure can contain. While most Dominicans are active, few communities may also live a strictly cloistered life.


• JESUITS: The Jesuits (or the Society of Jesus) was founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1540 A.D., thus being one of the youngest of the major orders of history. The original name of the Jesuits was the "Company of Jesus", to denote the soldier-like spirit of the order. Due to its thorough and rigorous formation process, the Jesuits quickly garnered a reputation throughout Europe of impeccable virtue, excellence in spiritual direction. In fact, the Jesuits merited such high repute, that their priests were the most revered and respected priests in the world, and regarded as masters in the spiritual life.
                In fact, some of the greatest saints in history were formed by Jesuit priests. Saint Teresa of Avila once said that she would not even consider a woman entrance into her order unless she had a Jesuit as her spiritual director, "They are my fathers, and it is to them, after Our Lord, that my soul owes all the good it possesses."  (Indeed, Teresa's reform of the Carmelite order was heavily influenced by the spirit of Ignatius, with how often she stressed the need for spiritual direction and daily accountings of her nuns progress in prayer, more so than externals). Saint Faustina, likewise, had Jesuits for spiritual directors. According to her, it was God Himself who hand-picked Jesuit priests to be her confessors and directors. The Jesuits also were known for taking a fourth vow of fidelity and service to the pope, and were once regarded by many as the "black popes", due to their prestige. Since the Jesuits do not require their members to live strictly in community, they are more free to engage society at almost any level. Some of the greatest scientists in history were Jesuits, responsible for significant advances in modern science. Jesuits were also known to be great missionaries, and almost single-handedly established the faith in numerous regions of the world.
                    And yet, despite such a radiant history, this magnificent order is has fallen very far from the heights it once enjoyed (perhaps further than the others), to the point where it has become a dim shadow of what it was. It is lamentable that many Jesuit-run schools have lost much of their Catholic identity, and contradict the Church's teachings on many levels. One of the holiest priests this author has ever met was a Jesuit priest. And yet this priest was persecuted and exiled by his own order for believing the Church's teachings on contraception and abortion. Such is the regrettable state of the order today.
                   On the positive side, there has been a movement among the younger generation to reform the order and restore its former splendor. (Signs of hope still remain in Ignatian retreat houses. One of the greatest retreats a Catholic can make today, is to visit an Ignatian retreat house and--through imposed silence--learn first-hand the transformative power of silence.) Just like the Carmelites, there is certainly no lack of reading material for a true and proper reform. The shear number of Jesuit textbooks written throughout its history is astounding, and no doubt there are many gems to be found from these former intellectual giants.

OTHER ORDERS / BRANCHES

The above orders are considered "main body" of major religious orders, due in large part to their historical prominence. Yet there are many new orders emerging in recent history with unique charisms offering wide and rich panapoly of options for those seeking to live a religious vocation. Some of these new orders are quite striking in their charisms; some focus on the Passion of Our Lord for example, others on Christ as Bridegroom, still others to Our Eucharistic Lord in perpetual Adoration, or to promoting the culture of life, or to devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Certainly there is much need in the Church today, and many of these new orders are seeking to fill that need.

• Missionaries of Charity: The Missionaries of Charity was founded by Mother Teresa, who in 1948, received permission to leave her convent to serve God among the "poorest of the poor". Mother Teresa began working in the slums of Calcutta, India, to care for the needs of the sick, crippled, and lepers, and in 1950, established the Missionaries of Charity. In addition to the three vows (poverty, chastity, and obedience), the missionaries take a fourth vow to give "Wholehearted and Free service to the poorest of the poor". In an interview, Mother Teresa stated; "The fruit of prayer is love, the fruit of love is action, the fruit of action is peace." The Missionaries of Charity seek to satiate the thirst of Christ for souls by putting love into action through the external work of service to the poor. For more information on the spirit of Mother Teresa and her sisters, it is recommend to view the documentary produced by the Petrie sisters, which contains hours of actual footage of Mother Teresa over the course of many years [link].


• Sisters of Life: The Sisters of Life are a community of female religious, founded in 1991 by Cardinal O’Connor. As the name suggests, their charism is namely for the protection of the sacredness of human life, and the promotion of the culture of life in our society. This unique charism directs their efforts towards working with such ministries as pregnancy care centers, pro-life rallies and lobbying, etc.. The sisters also host many retreats and conferences on related topics.


• Marians of the Immaculate Conception: The Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception are an order of priests founded originally in poland in 1673 by Bl. Stanislaus Papczynski, who answered the call to found a Marian order devoted especially to the Immaculate Conception. In America, the Marians have carried on the spirit of its founder primarily through the Message of Divine Mercy. The Marians are the publishers and promoters of the diary of Saint Faustina in English, and the caretakers of the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass.


• Passionist Nuns: The Passionist nuns were founded in the 19th century by Saint Paul of the Cross, who, in a vision, saw himself clothed in the black habit and insignia they now wear today. Tradition has it that the Blessed Virgin Herself appeared to Saint Paul with the habit and expressed Her desire that more souls contemplate the Passion of Our Lord, to meditate on His sorrows--hence the black color of the habit. This is a very fitting development in a new religious order, since the saints have said that nothing benefits the soul more than contemplation of the Passion of Our Lord. It communicates God's abounding love for us in a way that nothing else can, and can therefore spur the soul to make rapid progress in the spiritual life. Saint Paul was also known to be a prolific writer, and had unique gifts in spiritual direction as well. He originally founded an order for men, but we focus especially on the female branch here, which today seems to be swelling with many new vocations.


• Norbertines: The Norbertine canons and canonesses were founded by Saint Norbert in the 12th century, and are based on the Rule of Saint Augustine. Being canons, they have particular focus on the liturgical action (although not all communities today share in this focus, but some do). The Norbertines almost went into exctinction for a time, following the Reformation and persecution of the Church during the French revolution and conquests of Napolean. However, a new resurgence has been happening over the last 100 years, more than doubling its monasteries worldwide.

Please note; There are other orders that have been excluded from the list above. Please use this webpage as a general primer/guide only, for conducting further research.

SOURCES:

Davide A. Bianchini, Contact