Catholic Religious Orders and Communities

This list of Catholic religious orders and religious communities also includes secular institutes and societies of apostolic life. (We have titled it simply "Catholic Religious Orders and Communities" because that is the name people most frequently use when searching.) This list of communities is nowhere near exhaustive. We would like to extend this list to include all communities notable for faithfulness to the magisterium of the Catholic Church and to the charism of their founders. Additions to the list are welcome.

Previously we had a short list of vibrant Catholic religious communities. In the event that it is helpful, we leave it linked from this page.

Religious Communities for Women

Religious Communities for Men

Late or Older Vocations (Some communities that accept older men or women--though many communities in fact sometimes make exceptions to a general policy of not accepting older applicants, the communities listed here either have a more general policy of readiness to accept older vocations, or are known to do so more frequently.)

Priesthood (Mostly diocesan websites)

Links to other directories of Catholic religious orders and communities

Updated links on Feb 9, 2010

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Catholic Religious Communities for Women

• CMSWR Photos of Religious Orders and Contact Information
• Abbey of Regina Laudis, Bethlehem, CT
• Cloistered Benedictine Nuns
• Benedictines of Our Lady of the Rock Monastery - Washington - a Benedictine monastery of women located in the beautiful San Juan Islands of Washington state. It is a place of recollection, prayer and joyous self-giving. The nuns strive to witness to God's presence in the world by offering a place of prayer and hospitality to others in an environment of monastic peace.
• Benedictines of St. Scholastica Priory
• Benedictine Nuns, Virginia Dale, CO - Abbey of St. Walburga, a  small community of contemplative Benedictine nuns.
• Benedictine Nuns, Abiquiu, NM - Benedictine Monastery of Our Lady of the Desert, founded to reflect the feminine expression of desert monasticism.
• Benedictine Nuns, Greensburg, PA - St. Emma Monastery
• Benedictine Nuns, Westfield, VT
• Benedictine Nuns, Ashford, CT
• Benedictine Nuns of Mary, Queen of Apostles - Kansas City, MO
• Benedictine Nuns, Oxfordshire, UK
• Benedictne Nuns of St. Cecilia's Abbey (UK)
• Benedictine Nuns, Le Barroux, France
• Canonesses Regular of the Mother of God, Lagrasse, France
• Capuchin Poor Clare Nuns
• Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth (Williamsport, PA)
• Carmelites
• Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus - a congregation of sisters united to the First Order Carmelites, combing the contemplative life with a rich apostolate, working with children and the elderly.
• Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus, Northern Province
• Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles
• Carmelite Sisters of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus



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• Carthusian Monks and Nuns - Multilingual site of the Charterhouse
• Children of Mary - a semi-contemplative community of sisters.
• Cistercian Nuns
• Community of the Beatitudes in Denver, CO - The Community of the Beatitudes was founded in France in 1973, modeled after the community in the Acts of the Apostles. The Community thus gathers all kinds of persons: families, single people among whom some are consecrated, widows and widowers, divorced, sick and healthy, wise and poor! The community has houses all over the world. The house of the community in Denver is the first house in the USA.
• Community of St. John - Founded by the Dominican Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe, the Community of St. John combines the Carmelite spirituality with the Dominican apostolic mission. The order has convents of brothers, contemplative sisters, apostolic sisters, and lay associations throughout the world.
• Congregation of The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
• The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious - List of member communities


• Discalced Carmelite Nuns
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Ada Parnell, MI
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Alexandria, SD - Those seeking entry should be persons of prayer, aspiring to Christian perfection, detached from worldly things, of sound character, health and maturity, with intelligence and ability to recite the Divine Office and assist in choir. Those who are 17 must have a high school diploma and parental permission. Postulancy lasts for six months, a time to verify suitability for the life of Carmel. The novitiate lasts two years, a time for gaining a more intimate knowledge of one's divine vocation, to experience the monastic way of life, and to be imbued with its spirit. Temporary profession is made for three years, followed by solemn profession. Late vocations considered on a case by case basis; good health required with this consideration.
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Flemington, NJ
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Georgetown, CA
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Iron Mountain, MI - Carmelite community of both Cloistered and Extern Sisters. Schedule includes the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, two hours of quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, the entire Divine Office in Choir, spiritual reading, the Rosary and Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, manual work and joy-filled recreations together. Young women between the ages of 18 and 35 are welcome. (Exceptions may be made for a good reason.)
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Littleton, CO
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Terre Haute, IN
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Traverse City, MI
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Valparaiso, NE
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Seremban, Malaysia
• Discalced Carmelites of the Byzantine Catholic Church, Sugarloaf, PA


• Dominican Nuns
• Dominicans of the Infant Jesus - a community of cloistered, contemplative Dominican nuns in Lufkin, Texas.
• Dominican Nuns, Marbury, AL
• Dominican Nuns of Corpus Christi Monastery, Bronx, NY - a contemplative/monastic community in the Archdiocese of New York, dedicated to liturgy, work, study, community, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
• Dominican Nuns, Buffalo, NY
• Dominican Nuns, Lockport, LA
• Dominican Sisters, Hawthorne, NY
• Dominican Nuns (cloistered) - Michigan
• Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist (Ann Arbor, MI)
• Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia - Nashville, TN Dominicans - The sisters live the Order's motto, "to contemplate and to give to others the fruits of our contemplation" as they teach students from pre-school through college level.
• Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph - Lymington (UK)
• Dominican Nuns, Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary


• Franciscan Sisters
• Little Sisters of St. Francis
• Little Sisters of the Poor
• Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity
• Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate
• Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal - seeks to live the Gospel values in simplicity according to the ideals of Saint Francis as handed on by the Capuchin tradition.
• Franciscan Sisters, TOR, of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother
  
  
• Handmaids of the Precious Blood
• Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, Philadelphia, PA
• Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, St. Louis, MO
• Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd
• Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln
• Missionaries of Charity
• Norbertine Canonesses, Tehachapi, CA
• Notre Dame Sisters of Joyful Hope
• Passionist Nuns, Erlanger, KY - Vows to promote devotion to and grateful remembrance of the Passion and death of Jesus, Poverty, Chastity, Obedience, Enclosure
• Passionist Nuns, Whitesville, KY


• Poor Clares
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Black Canyon City, AZ
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Cleveland, OH
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Hanceville, AL
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Portsmouth, OH
• Poor Clare Colettines, Belleville, IL
• Poor Clare Colettines, Cleveland, OH
• Poor Clare Nuns - Minooka, Illinois
• Poor Clare Colettines, Los Altos Hills, CA
• Poor Clare Colettines, Palos Park, IL
• Poor Clare Colettines, Rockford, IL
• Poor Clare Nuns - Santa Barbara, California
  
  
• Religious Sisters of Mercy, Alma, MI
• (N.B., the "Reparatrix Anchoresses" formerly listed here are not recognized by the diocese of Charlotte, NC).
• School Sisters of Christ the King
• Sister Servants of the Eternal Word
• Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ
• Sisters of Carmel
• Sisters of Life
• Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate, Guelph, Ontario
• Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Sioux Falls, SD
• Sisters of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
• Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George - Alton, Illinois - Seeking to make the Merciful Love of Christ visible, we follow St. Francis and Mother M. Anselma with a lover of poverty, joy in work, and faithfulness in prayer.
• Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration
• Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church
• Sisters of St. Rita
• Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Garfield Heights, OH
• Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity, Euclid, OH
• Sister Servants of the Eternal Word
• Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
• St. Joseph's Association of OCD Nuns

Catholic Religious Communities for Men

• Abbey of Our Lady of Fontgombault - cloistered Benedictine monks in France, who celebrate following the traditional Missal (now called the extraordinary form of the Mass) and office.
• Abbey of St. Benoit Dulac in Quebec
• Assumptionists - An international congregation with Headquarters in Boston.
• Benedictines of Belmont Abbey
• Benedictine Monks - Clear Creek Monastery - a monastic foundation of Fontgombault
• Benedictine Monks of Westminster Abbey - B.C., Canada - Main apostolic work is the operation of the Seminary of Christ the King, which offers minor (high school) and major (college and theology) seminary formation
• Benedictine Monastery of the Holy Cross (Chicago, IL)
• Benedictines of Newark Abbey
• Benedictines of Norcia, Italy (The monks pray the office as prescribed by Benedict [the entire psalter in one week], and in Latin with Gregorian chant)
• Benedictines of Saint Andrew - St Andrew's Abbey is a Benedictine monastic community in the foothills of the Mojave Desert in the town of Valyermo.
• Benedictines of St. Louis Abbey
• Benedictine Abbey of St Marie Magdalene
• Benedictines of St. Michael's Abbey - Farnborough, England. Following the Benedictine rule "ora et labora", at the heart of their life is the solemn celebration of the liturgy, sung in Latin to Gregorian Chant. The Farnborough monks also operate a busy farm and apiary, a bookbindery, a printing and publishing house, as well as the traditional monastic work of hospitality.
• Benedictines of St. Vincent Archabbey
• Camaldolese Monks, Holy Family Hermitage, OH
• Camaldolese Monks, New Camaldoli Hermitage, CA
• Canons Regular of Jesus the Lord
• Canons Regular of Lagrasse, France
• Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem - A new community (founded 2002) in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. They celebrate the Holy Mass using the 1962 liturgy.
• Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross
• Canons Regular of St. Augustine
• Canons Regular of St. John Cantius - Chicago, IL - The priests and brothers of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius serve in parishes and help Catholics to rediscover a profound sense of the Sacred through solemn liturgies, devotions, sacred art and music, as well as instruction in the heritage of the Church, catechetics and Catholic culture.
• Carmelite Order (The Carmelite Order homepage - vocation information, Carmelite spirituality and history.)
• Carmelite Hermits, Lake Elmo, MN
• Carmelite Hermits - Texas
• Carmelite Monks of Wyoming
• Carthusian Monks and Nuns - Multilingual site of the Charterhouse
• Carthusians, Charterhouse of the Transfiguration, VT
• Carthusians - St. Hugh's Charterhouse in Parkminster, UK
• Cistercian Monks at Heiligenkreuz in Austria (also pray the office in Latin)
• Claretian Missionaries (Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) - A Catholic community of priests, brothers and lay people, committed to the Church's task of evangelization in 58 countries.
• Community of St. John - Founded by the Dominican Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe, the Community of St. John combines the Carmelite spirituality with the Dominican apostolic mission. The order has convents of brothers, contemplative sisters, apostolic sisters, and lay associations throughout the world.
• Companions of the Cross - A newly established community (Society of Apostolic Life) of priests and seminarians with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It has parishes in Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax (Nova Scotia), and Houston, Texas. The main directions of the spirituality are: eucharistic, marian, charismatic, and magisterial.
• Congregation of Holy Cross, Indiana Province - Founded in 1837, the Congregation of Holy Cross is a religious community of priests and brothers located in sixteen countries on five continents, whose mission is to educate and evangelize the next generation in the Catholic faith.
• Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception
• Dominican Order
• Dominican House of Studies - Province of St. Joseph - Information on the life, education, and formation of Dominican student brothers (the Studentate) in the Dominican Province of St. Joseph (the Eastern Province). Photos of Dominican student life, Frequently Asked Questions, and samples of Dominican student brothers preaching.
• Dominicans of Canada
• Dominican House of Studies - Washington, DC
• Dominicans - Ireland Province
• Dominicans - Most Holy Name of Jesus Province
• Dominicans - St. Joseph Province
• Dominicans - St. Joseph Province, Vocations Website
• Conventual Franciscan Friars of Marytown, Liberyville, IL
• Fathers of Mercy The Fathers of Mercy are a religious community of Catholic priests, devoted to bringing God's Mercy to all through preaching parish missions and retreats. Focal points are the teachings of the Church, the Holy Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin, and Confession.
• Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
• Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
• Franciscans - Capuchin Franciscan Friars, Province of St. Conrad - Capuchin spirituality, vocations, saints, directory, blog, and more.
• Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word
• Franciscan Friars Third Order Regular
• Franciscans, TOR - Sacred Heart Province
• Institute of Christ the King - the Institute of Christ the King is a Secular Institute in which men offer themselves to God and make vows to live in poverty, chastity, and obedience.
• Institute of the Incarnate Word - Province of the Immaculate Conception (USA, Canada and Guyana)
• Institute of St. Philip Neri
• Jesuits (Think Jesuit)
• Josephite Fathers and Brothers - Home Missionaries serving the African American Community in parish ministry, education and social service.
• Little Brothers of St. Francis, Boston
• Marians of the Immaculate Conception - worldwide congregation that runs the National Shrine of Divine Mercy at Eden Hill, promotes the Divine Mercy of Jesus as revealed to Blessed Faustina Kowalska, and is home to the Association of Marian Helpers.
• Maronite Monks of Adoration A contemplative community of Catholic men devoted to a life of prayer and adoration, a life of religious reparation and penance for souls. (Lives according to the Maronite tradition.)
• Mercedarians
• Miles Christi - Priest and brothers devoted to the pursuit of sanctity. Their mission is the sanctification of the laity, particularly college students.
• Missionaries of Charity Fathers
• Missionaries of the Gospel of Life
• Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
• Monks of Adoration - a new Catholic monastic community dedicated to using modern technology to spread the Gospel.
• Montfort Missionaries - The Company of Mary, also known as the Montfort Missionaries, is an international Religious Congregation in the Roman Catholic Church, dedicated to the establishment of the kingdom of God under the patronage of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
• Norbertine Order - Official website of the order of the Canons Regular of Premontre, or Premonstratensians, founded in the early 12th century by St. Norbert. Histories of the Order, its rules and by laws, locations and descriptions for all houses. This site is in both English and Latin.
• Norbertine - St. Michael's Abbey, California
• Norbertines - England
• Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
• Oblates of the Virgin Mary
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, Silver City, NM
• Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Toronto
• Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney
• Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo
• Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter - FSSP
• Quarr Abbey (Solesmes Congregation in England)
• Salesians of Don Bosco
• Seminary of Christ The King in B.C. Canada - website being redone
• Servants of Divine Mercy
• Farnborough Abbey (St. Michaels)
• Pluscarden Abbey in Scotland
• St. Bernard's Abbey in Cullman, Alabama
• St. Joseph de Clairval Abbey in Flavigny
• Trappist Abbey of Our Lady of the Assumption - A community of monks of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, popularly known as Trappists.

Late Vocations for Women

• Carmel of Port Tobacco (cloistered women Carmelite house reported to accept older vocations)
• Sisters of the Visitation, Toldero, OH (accept single or widowed Catholic woman 18-45 years, with exceptions considered for even older women)
• St. Benedict Monastery, Canyon, Texas (new foundation begun in 1971; accepts women of 25-60 years of age.)
• Daughters of Our Mother of Peace - Vinita Park, Missouri - accepts women 22-55 (link is to page on the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious website).
• Additions coming!

Late Vocations for Men

• To be added

Sites on the Priesthood

• USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations
• National Conference of Diocesan Vocations Directors
• Deacons Place - This site provides information about deacons in the Catholic Church including official documents, articles and a discussion forum.
• Diocese of Albany Vocation Office
• Archdiocese of Atlanta
• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Archdiocese of Cincinnati
• Archdiocese of Denver Office of Priestly Vocations
• Archdiocese of New York
• Archdiocese of Philadelphia
• Archdiocese of St. Louis
• Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
• Archdiocese of Vancouver
• Diocese of Arlington
• Diocese of Grand Rapids - Priestly Vocations
• Diocese of Owensboro
• Diocese of Peoria - Vocations office, Discernment, Seminarians, Resources (Video, reading, links)
• Diocese of Providence
• Diocese of Raleigh
• Diocese of Rapid City
• Diocese of St. Petersburg
• Diocese of Savannah
• Diocese of Sioux Falls


• Updated links on Feb 9, 2010

Directories of Catholic religious orders and communities

• Holy Vocations - Blog for those discerning vocations to priesthood or religious life - the sidebar has a large list of links to men's and women's communities
• Roman Catholic Vocations - thoughts on the promotion, discernment, and living of vocations in the Catholic Church - the sidebar also has a number of links to communities and vocational videos
• Links at Catholicity.com - Associations - Vocations for Men - Vocations for Women
• Search for Religious Communities with the VISION Vocation network's search engine

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Selected Religious Communities