Catholic religious orders: overview and differences

What is a religious order?

Religious orders are communities of consecrated people who live by a shared spiritual rule. They exist in the Catholic Church and include men and/or women. Their members take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, devoting their lives to prayer, contemplation, study and the service of God.

Each religious order has its own spirituality, its own rule of life and a distinctive charism. Some focus on contemplative life, spending their time in silent prayer and meditation. Others devote themselves to education, charity, preaching or mission. Each member contributes in a unique way to community life and to the mission of the Church.

Religious orders have played an essential role in history, preserving cultural heritage and founding schools, hospitals and charitable institutions. They have been agents of evangelisation and have supported the poorest. Today they still bear witness to faith and to the love of God, responding to the spiritual, educational and social needs of society.

Beyond their differences, religious orders share a commitment to God, to the Church and to the service of others. Their life is a response to the call to follow Christ radically, living the Gospel with faithfulness and generosity. They offer an inspiring example of consecrated life, inviting believers to deepen their own relationship with God and to answer the call to holiness. If you would like to learn more about monastic vows, we have also written an article for you on the subject.

Order, congregation, institute: what is the difference?

In everyday language, "religious order" is used for any community of religious. The Church is more precise. Orders are the oldest families, whose members took solemn vows: Benedictines, Cistercians, Carthusians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites. Congregations are more recent institutes, founded mostly from the 16th century onward to meet a specific need such as teaching, caring for the sick or missions. The Little Sisters of the Poor are one example.

Today, the Code of Canon Law simply speaks of "religious institutes" for both. Some communities, such as the Daughters of Charity, are of yet another kind: they are societies of apostolic life.

Contemplative life or apostolic life?

Contemplative orders centre their life on prayer, often in enclosure: Benedictines, Cistercians and Trappists, Carthusians, Poor Clares, Carmelite nuns. They run most of the monastic guesthouses where you can go on retreat.

Apostolic institutes live a life of prayer directed toward a mission outside: teaching, care, preaching, accompaniment. This is the case of the Jesuits and of many congregations. In between, the mendicant orders born in the 13th century, led by the Franciscans and Dominicans, combine common life, prayer and preaching.

The main religious orders at a glance

• Benedictines: Saint Benedict of Nursia, 6th century. Rule of Saint Benedict, monastic life.
• Cistercians and Trappists: founding of Cîteaux in 1098. Rule of Saint Benedict lived with greater austerity.
• Carthusians: Saint Bruno, 1084. Solitary life in a hermitage, within a community.
• Franciscans and Poor Clares: Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Clare, early 13th century. Mendicant order; the Poor Clares are contemplative.
• Dominicans: Saint Dominic, 1216. Rule of Saint Augustine, study and preaching.
• Carmelites: hermits of Mount Carmel, 12th century, reformed by Saint Teresa of Ávila in the 16th century. Contemplative life.
• Jesuits: Saint Ignatius of Loyola, 1540. Apostolate, teaching, Spiritual Exercises.
• Premonstratensians: Saint Norbert, 1120. Rule of Saint Augustine; they are canons regular.

An overview of the main orders and congregations

Here is a more detailed presentation of the main orders and congregations present in France, and in some cases throughout the world.

The Benedictines

The Benedictines are a Catholic religious community founded in the 6th century by Saint Benedict of Nursia.

They follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, a spiritual way of life based on prayer, study, manual work and service to others. Their monastic life is centred on liturgical prayer and the Divine Office. Benedictines also give great importance to study and spiritual reading. Manual work is an essential part of their daily life, and they are known for their hospitality toward guests and pilgrims. Their influence has spread across the centuries, and they continue to inspire many people seeking spirituality and inner peace.

If you would like to go on retreat with them, you can visit the abbeys of Jouarre, En Calcat, Maumont or Wisques.

The Franciscans and Poor Clares

The Franciscans are a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in the 13th century.

They live by the ideals of simplicity, poverty and humility, in imitation of Christ. Franciscans devote themselves to evangelisation, contemplative prayer and service to the poorest. Their spirituality emphasises fraternal love, care for creation and the promotion of peace. They value simplicity of life, compassion and reconciliation. Franciscans are present throughout the world and bear witness to a humble life of selfless service.

The Poor Clares are the female, contemplative branch of the Franciscan family. Saint Clare, a disciple of Francis, founded the first community in Assisi in 1212. To go on retreat with them, you can visit the monasteries of Montfavet, Cormontreuil or Nantes.

The Dominicans

The Dominicans are a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic de Guzmán in the 13th century.

They devote themselves to study, preaching and evangelisation. Dominicans follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, completed by the constitutions of the order. Their life emphasises intellect and the search for truth. Their spirituality is grounded in contemplative prayer, community life and in-depth study of Scripture and theology. Dominicans are known for their commitment to education, intellectual research, the defence of the faith and interreligious dialogue. They strive to seek the truth and proclaim the Gospel, sharing the richness of their spiritual tradition with others. Dominicans are present throughout the world and continue to bear witness to their zeal for knowledge, truth and the service of God and the Church.

If this has made you want to go on retreat with them, you can visit the convent of Bor, La Tourette, the monastery of Dax or the one in Taulignan.

The Jesuits / Ignatians

The Jesuits, officially known as the Society of Jesus, are a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century.

They stand out for their commitment to education, Ignatian spirituality and service to the world. Jesuits are known for their thorough intellectual formation and their commitment to teaching, research and interreligious dialogue. They are present in many fields such as education, pastoral work, missions, social justice and spiritual accompaniment. Jesuits value seeking the will of God through discernment, the pursuit of justice and faith put into action. They are marked by great apostolic flexibility and an openness to cultural and religious diversity. Jesuits continue to embody a dynamic tradition, offering an inspiring witness of service and of seeking God in today's world. They regularly make the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius.

For an Ignatian spiritual retreat, you can go to the Cenacle spiritual centre.

The Carmelites

The Carmelites are a Catholic religious order founded in the 12th century in the tradition of Mount Carmel, in the Holy Land.

Carmelite nuns devote themselves to contemplation and the interior life, seeking to deepen their relationship with God. They follow the Rule of Saint Albert, which emphasises solitude, silence and prayer. They aspire to live in deep intimacy with God, seeking spiritual perfection and mystical union. Carmelites are known for their contemplative vocation, their life of retreat and their silent prayer. They seek to offer their prayers and sacrifices for the salvation of the world and to respond to God's love with a life of total consecration. Carmelites are present throughout the world, in different types of contemplative and active communities, each following the path of Saint Teresa of Ávila and Saint John of the Cross. They are a source of inspiration for other believers, a reminder of the importance of prayer, solitude and the search for God in a society that is often noisy and distracted.

To go on retreat with the Carmelites, you can visit the Carmel of the Pater in Jerusalem, of Christ the King, of Verdun or of Yzeron.

The Carthusians

The Carthusians are a Catholic religious order founded in the 11th century by Saint Bruno of Cologne.

They live according to the Statutes of the order, inherited from the Customs of Guigo, fifth prior of the Grande Chartreuse. This life emphasises solitude, silence and prayer. Carthusians devote their lives to contemplation and to seeking God in the solitude of their hermitages. They live in a monastic community but spend most of their time in solitary retreat, devoted to silent prayer and meditation. Carthusians lead an austere life, renouncing material goods and content with little. Their search for God in silence and solitude is a profound expression of their love for God and their desire for mystical union with him. Carthusians are known for their spiritual rigour and their attachment to ancient monastic tradition. They embody a powerful witness to contemplative life and to the importance of the inner quest in a world that is often noisy and restless.

It is not possible to go on retreat with the Carthusian monks. However, if you would like to discover their spirituality, you can make a retreat at Maison Saint-Bruno with the Carthusian nuns of Sélignac.

The Cistercians and Trappists

The Trappists, also known as the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, are a branch of the Cistercian order born in the 17th century from the reform led by Abbot de Rancé at the Abbey of La Trappe.

Trappist monks live a life of silence, solitude and manual work. They follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, seeking God through liturgical prayer, lectio divina and manual work. Trappists devote themselves to contemplative life, withdrawing from the world to draw closer to God. They live in autonomous monasteries, with a simple life, material poverty and great self-sufficiency. Trappists are known for their crafts and for their monastic products such as beer, cheese and jams, which support their monastic life and their charitable works. They embody a spirituality of silence and work, seeking to find God in everyday life and to live in harmony with creation. Trappists offer an inspiring example of contemplative life, humility and total consecration to God.

If this has convinced you, you can go on retreat at the abbeys of Echourgnac, Orval, Cîteaux or Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle.

The Brothers and Sisters of Saint John

The Brothers of Saint John are a Catholic religious community founded in 1975 by Father Marie-Dominique Philippe.

They devote themselves to contemplative and apostolic religious life, with an emphasis on the search for truth and fraternal life. The Brothers of Saint John live according to Dominican spirituality, combining study, prayer, community life and apostolate. They receive an intellectual formation, studying philosophy, theology and other disciplines to deepen their knowledge of God and of the faith. The Brothers of Saint John are engaged in various apostolates, such as teaching, parish ministry, missions and spiritual accompaniment. They seek to share their faith with others, to evangelise and to form disciples. The Brothers of Saint John live in fraternity, sharing a life of prayer, work and mutual service. They are known for their love of the liturgy, of music and of joyful community life. The Brothers of Saint John continue to inspire through their devotion to God, their apostolic commitment and their witness to radical religious life.

To go on retreat with them, you can visit the sanctuary of Pellevoisin or of Notre-Dame du Chêne, the priory of Notre-Dame de Rimont and the convent of Corbara.

The Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul

The Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul are a society of apostolic life founded in 1633 by Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Louise de Marillac.

They devote themselves to serving the poor, the sick and the marginalised. The Daughters of Charity live in the spirit of charity and compassion of their founders. They are involved in various fields such as education, health care, social assistance and pastoral work. The Daughters of Charity are present throughout the world, bringing comfort, care and support to people in distress. They emphasise the dignity of every person and strive to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those they serve. The Daughters of Charity bear witness to the love of God through their devoted lives, their generosity and their dedication to the cause of the poor. They are a source of inspiration and a concrete reminder of the Gospel call to love and serve our brothers and sisters in need.

You can visit the birthplace of Saint Vincent de Paul: the Berceau Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.

The Little Sisters of the Poor

The Little Sisters of the Poor are a Catholic religious congregation founded in the 19th century by Saint Jeanne Jugan.

The Little Sisters of the Poor are known for their total dedication to vulnerable elderly people, creating a family atmosphere and providing spiritual, medical and social care. They devote themselves to serving the poorest and most abandoned elderly people, offering them a warm home and attentive care. The Sisters emphasise dignity, respect and unconditional love. They live a life of simplicity, poverty and abandonment to divine Providence, relying on the generosity of others to support their mission. They seek to bring comfort and joy to those who are marginalised and forgotten, embodying Christ's love for the least of his brothers and sisters. The Little Sisters of the Poor continue to inspire through their charism of compassion and selfless service to elderly people in need.

Benedictines, Cistercians and Trappists: what is the difference?

All follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. The Benedictines are its oldest branch, with a wide variety of communities and a liturgy that is often very carefully celebrated.

The Cistercians were born in 1098 at Cîteaux, in Burgundy, from the desire to apply the Rule more strictly: poverty, manual work, simplicity in architecture and liturgy. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux gave them immense influence in the 12th century.

Finally, the Trappists are Cistercians reformed in the 17th century at the Abbey of La Trappe. Their official name is the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. Cistercians and Trappists can often be recognised by their white habit and black scapular, whereas Benedictines wear black.

Frequently asked questions

What is the oldest religious order?

In the West, the Benedictines, born in the 6th century around Saint Benedict, are the oldest monastic family still alive today. Monastic life itself is older still: it appeared in Egypt in the 3rd and 4th centuries, with Saint Anthony and the Desert Fathers.

What is a mendicant order?

It is an order born in the 13th century that lives on donations rather than land and settles in towns to preach. The four great mendicant orders are the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Carmelites and the Augustinians.

Do you have to be religious or a believer to go on retreat in a monastery?

No. Most abbeys have a guesthouse open to everyone, believers or not, for a few days of silence following the rhythm of the Offices. We have devoted an article to this question.

To find a community that welcomes retreatants near you, browse our destinations.

Make a retreat with one of these orders

Three communities from different families, all welcoming guests:

• Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle Abbey, in the Drôme, with the Trappist monks (region: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes);
• the Monastery of Sainte-Claire in Montfavet, near Avignon, with the Poor Clares (region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur);
• Saint-Martin de Mondaye Abbey, in Calvados, with the Premonstratensian canons (region: Normandy).