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 (Divine Office), community meals, labor/work, private prayer, meditation, study, and religious vows (typically the thrice vow 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"; observer/aspirant, postulant, novice, simply professed, and solemnly professed (perpetual vows). The discernment process usually continues for about 4-6 years until solemn profession (a person is free to leave any time prior to solemn profession).

The schedules of religious communities may also share basic similarities. A typical daily schedule (horarium) may look something like the following;

4:40 AM, Rise
5:00 AM, Office of Readings (Matins), Meditation
5:50 AM, Morning Prayer (Lauds)
6:30 AM, Holy Mass, Rosary
7:45 AM, Breakfast (in silence)
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, Exposition, Vespers, Benediction
6:15 PM, Private Study / Meditation
8:15 PM, Supper
8:45 PM, Night Prayer (Compline)
9:15 PM, Discipline, Free Time
10:00 PM, Lights Out

Typically, orders that are more "contemplative", such as the Benedictines, tend to allot more time to prayer, and have a more fixed schedule. Conversely, orders that are more "active", such as the Franciscans, tend to allot more time to their apostolate (serving the community in some capacity). However, whether a religious community is active or contemplative, they all share this fundamental component, that is; heart of their lives is prayer. 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.

At first glance, such a schedule as the one shown above may seem repetitive to some. However, to the Saints, it is precisely in the ordinary of everyday life that the soul has the greatest access to God -- for it is not in external busyness that a soul finds God, but rather, in the silence and solitude of the heart, through daily penances, prayers, and sacrifices for the salvation of souls. In this sense the schedule itself is a perpetual sacrifice of great merit, since the religious is bound to it by the vow of obedience, and cannot deviate from it unless given permission do to so.

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

"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."
- diary, November 1935, ¶.539

• 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. Prior to this time, monks typically lived as hermits (n.b., Desert Fathers). The Benedictine "motto" is ora et labora; prayer and work. Traditionally, Benedictines are cloistered; living within an enclosure without any interaction with the world. Their "world" is their immediate community, which they interact with frequently (community meals, community prayer, community work, etc.). Traditionally, one is not likely to find Benedictines reciting the Rosary in common, Divine Mercy Chapet, or other such devotions. This is because their day is mostly occupied by the recitation of the complete Divine Office (all seven offices, with the complete psalms). They are also noted for their excellence in Gregorian Chant. Unfortunately, over the past fifty years, many Benedictine monasteries have become more secularized, relaxing the more rigorous traditions of monastic life (it is not uncommon to find monks wearing secular clothing, more frequent socializing with laity, less emphasis on fasting, etc.). 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 many of the abandoned traditions, principally with regard to stricter discipline and fidelity to the liturgy and sacred music (most noteworthy over the past century, was work of the monks at Fontgombault and Solesmes - founding the Solesmes Method - which aided in the restoration of Gregorian Chant to its proper place in the liturgy. The monastery at Fontgombault is regarded as having produced the most authentic and pure Gregorian Chant available [listen here]). These communities seem to be attracting many young men and women (see Clear Creek Benedictines, Benedictines of San Benedetto, Benedictines of Regina Laudis, Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, Benedictines of the Immaculate, etc.).
  • 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. Today, however, one might not find much difference between a Benedictine and Cistercian monastery (however, this depends on the individual community).
  • 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 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 suffered the same influences of secular society as most other religious communities. Trappists have also become noted for selling the fruits of their labors in an effort to be 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 aestheticism. 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 each other. 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). They only leave their cell a few times a day for certain community prayers. In the Statutes of the Carthusian order, Book I, Chp. II, we read the following;
         "And now, dear reader, ponder and reflect on the great spiritual benefits derived from solitude by the holy and venerable Fathers, Paul, Anthony, Hilarion, Benedict, and others beyond number, and you will readily agree that for tasting the spiritual savor of psalmody; for penetrating the message of the written page; for kindling the fire of fervent prayer; for engaging in profound meditation; for losing oneself in mystic contemplation; for obtaining the heavenly dew of purifying tears — nothing is more helpful than solitude."
          The Carthusians are likely more isolated from the world than any other order, although it is uncertain how affected they were from societal influences of the twentieth century. It would appear that there may exist some notable variations between charterhouses within the order, specifically in the degree austerity from house to house.
• CARMELITES: The Carmelites started in the 12th century (under debate), by an unknown founder (also under debate). The Carmelites might be considered a middle-ground of sorts, between the eremitical life of the Carthusians and the community life of the Benedictine orders. While their ideal way of life is a eremitic, they may prayer together in community, and at times may eat meals together as well (depending on the community). They may also live in individual hermitages, or in community. Compared to the Benedictine orders, Carmelite monks (or rather, "friars") traditionally tend to place more emphasis on contemplation, allotting more time for private prayer. The Carmelites are also known for their devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Some of the great mystics were Carmelites (St. Theresa of Avila, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Therese of Lisieux, etc.) After a period of decline, today there seems to be renewed interest in Carmelite spirituality, and returning to a more orthodox spirit of the rule (see for example; Carmelites of Nebraska Carmelites of Wyoming, Carmelites of Texas). 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: The Order of Saint Clare is an order of religious women founded by Saint Francis of Assisi and his devote follower 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 a contemplative at heart, Saint Clare was a zealous missionary at heart. Ironically, God called the contemplative to the marketplace, and the missionary to the convent. Thus the Poor Clares today tend to be cloistered contemplatives (For further information on Poor Clare spirituality, it is important to first understand Franciscan spirituality, since they are both closely related and mutually illuminating [see section on Franciscans below]). One of the most well known branches of the Poor Clares is the Nuns of Perpetual Adoration (of which one of their convents in Alabama is home to Mother Angelica), who's charism is adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for the love of God and the salvation of souls. Other branches include the Poor Clare Colettines, the Capuchin Poor Clares, and the Poor Clares of the Immaculate.

post script : 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, 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. They are generally called mendicant orders, meaning; they live off of the charity of others, rather than trying to be self-supportive (note; Carmelites and Poor Clares are mendicants as well, but are considered contemplative/cloistered).

"Active-Contemplative"
It may be worth noting most active orders are not "active" in the strictest sense of the word. Rather, they are more precisely "active-contemplative", comprising a relative balance between prayer and their apostolates. It is also important to stress that some active orders may have more of an emphasis on prayer, and thus may more closely resemble contemplative orders. It largely depends on the community, and how a person manages their free time within the confines of the horarium. Padre Pio, for example, was a Capuchin friar (the most "active" branch of the Franciscans), and yet he spent much of his daily life as a contemplative, spending nearly every free minute of his time in prayer (even skipping meals to remain in prayer). It was through prayer that Padre Pio 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".

• 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. 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 (realizing that the highest form of love is the cross). The Franciscan school teaches Marian maximalism, that is; it attributes the highest possible glory to the Blessed Virgin short of divinity (St. Bonaventure, Bl. John Duns Scotus, Ven. Mary of Agreda, etc.). 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. In fact, throughout history it was not uncommon to find Franciscan convents of cloistered nuns. 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;

  Blessed Virgin to Venerable Mary of Agreda: "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." -Mystical City of God, Book VI, Chp V

  • Friars Minor: The Friars Minor were the result of a large consolidation of various groups (Observants, Discalced, Recollects, Riformati, etc.) by Pope Leo XII in 1897. Today the Friars Minor compose the largest body of the Franciscans order, and are criticized as being the most lenient and divorced from the spirit of Saint Francis.
  • Friars Minor Conventual: 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, they 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 laxity and deviations from the original rule of Saint Francis. However, there have been great fruits that originated from Conventual communities, such as the great Marian devotee, Saint Maximilian Kolbe. The most notable Franciscans to grow out of this renewal are the Franciscans of the Immaculate, who seem to be spearheading the Franciscan re-reform of the 21st century, both in sacred music [listen here], sacred liturgy (n.b., according to their founders, they will gradually shift toward a quasi-exclusive use of the Extraordinary Form), and Mariology, taking a fourth vow of total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Other orders which have since instituted a similar vow include the Franciscan Sisters Minor, and the Benedictines of the Immaculate.
  • Friars Minor Capuchin. The Capuchin reform desired a return to a stricter observance of the Franciscan rule. As such, Capuchin franciscans tend to be the most "active" of the three Franciscan branches, with a stronger emphasis on corporal works of mercy. A Capuchin Franciscan would be more likely to be seen feeding the poor or street evangelizing, rather than writing a book on liturgics, Church history, or studying mystical theology. The most notable Capuchins today are the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.
  Like many religious communities, the Franciscans have suffered from a marked decline in vocations over the past fifty years; many of which have become more secularized, de-emphasizing certain traditions of Franciscan heritage (penance and mortification, fasting on bread and water, use of the Discipline, etc.). It is not uncommon today to see friars watching television, or going to the movies and eating ice cream on a Friday night. However, like the Benedictines, the communities of lax traditions seem to be diminishing, slowly being replaced by young communities devoted to living a more radical and counter-cultural way of life (see; Sisters of Nazareth, Friars of the Immaculate, Sisters of the Immaculate, Franciscan Sisters Minor , Friars of the Renewal, Sisters of the Renewal, and the Franciscan Friars of the Primitive Observance).

• 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 intellectual society. As the name implies, the charism of the Dominicans is primarily preaching and teaching, for the conversion of souls. Today, this apostolic spirit has adapted itself most notably to education and catechetical formation of the young, and, as such, it is not uncommon to find dominicans within the context of the school system as teachers and professors. As such, many Dominican communities will send some of their members to college to further their higher education. It is worthy to note that female dominican communities, who's apostolate is often with the young, tend to be the most orthodox (and are likewise flourishing with new vocations). Saint Dominic was also a great marian devotee, and is attributed as being the founder of the Holy Rosary. Among the most notable Dominican communities are; Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia, and the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. Some dominican communities may be contemplative/cloistered, such as the Dominican Contemplative Sisters of the Monastery of the Heart of Jesus.
• MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY: The Missionaries of Charity were founded 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 [see here].
• 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 [see Sisters of Life].

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

Davide A. Bianchini, Contact