In the Catholic Church, a religious order is a community of consecrated life with members that profess solemn vows. They are classed as a type of religious institute.
The CICM Missionaries, officially known as the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and often abbreviated as C.I.C.M, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men established in 1862 by the Belgian Catholic priest Theophile Verbist (1823–1868). Its members add the post-nominal letters C.I.C.M. to their names to indicate membership in the congregation.
The Sons of Divine Providence, commonly called the Orionine Fathers, is a Roman Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded in 1903 by Luigi Orione (1872–1940) in Turin, Italy. Its members add the nominal letters F.D.P. after their names to indicate membership in the congregation. It is dedicated to helping the poor and is currently active in 23 nations.
The Clerics of Saint Viator, abbreviated C.S.V. and also known as the Viatorians is a Roman Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded in Lyon, France, in 1831 by Father Louis Querbes. Its patron, Saint Viator, was a 4th-century catechist in Lyon. The institute spread from its origins in France to Canada and later to the United States; it now has provinces and missions all over the world. They are a teaching order and are involved in parish ministries and all levels of education, from grade school through university. Its members add the nominal letters C.S.V. after their names to indicate membership in the congregation.
The Society of the Divine Word, abbreviated SVD and popularly called the Verbites or the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men. As of 2020, it consisted of 5,965 members composed of priests and religious brothers working in more than 70 countries, now part of VIVAT international. It is one of the largest missionary congregations in the Catholic Church. Its members add the nominal letters SVD after their names to indicate membership in the Congregation. The superior general is Paulus Budi Kleden who hails from Indonesia.
The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate abbreviated CMI, formerly also known as the Servants of Mary Immaculate, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, and is the largest such congregation in the Syro-Malabar Church.
An institute of consecrated life is an association of faithful in the Catholic Church canonically erected by competent church authorities to enable men or women who publicly profess the evangelical counsels by religious vows or other sacred bonds "through the charity to which these counsels lead to be joined to the Church and its mystery in a special way". They are defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law under canons 573–730. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has ecclesial oversight of institutes of consecrated life.
The Society of Saint Paul abbreviated SSP and also known as the Paulines, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men founded on 20 August 1914 at Alba, Piedmont in Italy by Giacomo Alberione and officially approved by the Holy See on 27 June 1949. Its members add the nominal letters SSP. after their names to indicate membership in the congregation.
The Society of the Divine Saviour, abbreviated SDS and also known as the Salvatorians, is a clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men in the Catholic Church. The members of the congregation use the nominal SDS after their names. It has clergy serving in more than 40 countries throughout the world. It was founded in Rome, Italy on 8 December 1881 by Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan. The Generalate of the community is in Rome, at Via della Conciliazione in Palazzo Cesi-Armellini. The current Superior General of the Salvatorians is the Milton Zonta.
The Somaschi Fathers, also known as the Somascans and officially as the Order of Clerics Regular of Somasca, are a Catholic order of Clerics Regular of Pontifical Right for men. It was founded in Italy in the 16th century by Jerome Emiliani and named after the motherhouse at Somasca.
The Patrician Brothers officially named Brothers of Saint Patrick, abbreviated F.S.P. is a Catholic lay religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded for the religious and literary education of the youth and the instruction of the faithful in Christian piety.
The Pious Workers of St. Joseph Calasanctius of the Mother of God are a Roman Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded at Vienna, Austria in 24 November 1889, by Father Anton Maria Schwartz for works of charity, but especially the apostolate among workingmen. This congregation of priests and lay brothers, follow the Rule of the Piarists, modified in some particulars. Its members add the nominal letters C.Op. at the end of their names to indicate their membership in the congregation.
The Society of Saint Edmund also known as the Edmundites, is a clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men in the Catholic Church founded in 1843, in Pontigny, France, by Jean Baptiste Muard. The congregation is named after Saint Edmund. The members of the congregation add the postnominal letters S.S.E.
The Institute of the Josephites of Belgium, commonly called Josephites is a Roman Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men devoted to the Christian education of the youth It was founded in Ghent Belgium by Canon van Crombrugghe, in 1817. Its members add the nominal letters C.J. after their names to indicate membership in the Institute.
The Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel abbreviated CSMA, also known as the Michaelites, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded by the Blessed Father Bronisław Markiewicz, a Polish priest from Miejsce Piastowe, Poland. The Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel is one of the 30 officially recognized groups of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco.
Luigi Guanella was an Italian Roman Catholic priest. He was ordained a priest on May 26, 1866 in Como, and was assigned to a small parish in Savogno. Luigi is the founder of several religious institutes: the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence (1890) and the Servants of Charity alongside his friends David Albertario and Giuseppe Toniolo. Guanella also founded the Pious Union of Saint Joseph (1914) with his supporter and first member Pope Pius X. These religious communities focused on the relief of the poor throughout the world. The Servants of Charity motto reads "In Omnibus Charitas", which became the cornerstone for Guanella's own life.
The Basilian Chouerite Order of Saint John the Baptist is a Melkite Greek Catholic monastic order of Pontifical Right for Men. The members of the Order add the nominal B.C after their names to indicate their membership in the Order.
The Congregation of the Sons of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is an institute of consecrated life for priests in the Catholic Church. The congregation is dedicated to educating the young and strengthening Catholic family life.
The Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Bétharram is a Roman Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men. It was established in Bétharram in 1832 by St. Michael Garicoits as fulfilment of a dream. The task of this congregation, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, was to evangelize the people through missions and to teach the young. It received formal approval of the Pope after Garicoits' death.
The Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence is a religious institute of pontifical right whose members profess public vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and follow the evangelical way of life in common.
