Different religious Orders

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Teeliumtrozzle

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There seem to be about 100 different religious orders. Why are there so many? How am I supposed to decide which one to join? Which one is the best?
 
Yes, it’s abit overwhelming, isn’t it?🙂

Well, each order was created by someone that saw a need going unfufilled. Many were started by saints that had a vision of what God wanted them to do. Each order has a charism, or a spirituality that is unique and different from the others. Some are contemplative, some are more action oriented doing volunteer and missionary work, while others are more into education, and there are others who see their mission as evangelizing. In other words, there is an order out there that can fulfill whatever it is you feel you are called to do.

There is no best order out there either. While you will always find a Benedictine for example that thinks they are the best, you will find another that feels the Dominicans are great to. It’s just up to the individual to decide which one is the one that is going to nourish your soul and fulfill your dream of being more holy and devout. It doesn’t necessarily have to be one of the bigger orders either, There are now plenty of smaller ones doing great work to.

Only you can decide which order is best for you. You have to figure out why you want to join an order in the first place, and then decide what order fits what you want to accomplish. Are you looking for contemplation and prayer, maybe missionary work, or do you want to evangelize? It’s up to you and there is an order out there that will fulfill your dream. One thing I would stress though is try to find one near your home so that you can attend some meetings. They will be important for your personal development and growth in the order.

Don’t get frustrated with your search. This is really the fun part, so relax, take your time, and look all of the orders over carefully, and yes pray. Pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you in this journey and eventually an order will just feel right to you.

Good luck and God Bless…
 
jimcav said:
Yes, it’s abit overwhelming, isn’t it?🙂

Well, each order was created by someone that saw a need going unfufilled. Many were started by saints that had a vision of what God wanted them to do. Each order has a charism, or a spirituality that is unique and different from the others. Some are contemplative, some are more action oriented doing volunteer and missionary work, while others are more into education, and there are others who see their mission as evangelizing. In other words, there is an order out there that can fulfill whatever it is you feel you are called to do.

There is no best order out there either. While you will always find a Benedictine for example that thinks they are the best, you will find another that feels the Dominicans are great to. It’s just up to the individual to decide which one is the one that is going to nourish your soul and fulfill your dream of being more holy and devout. It doesn’t necessarily have to be one of the bigger orders either, There are now plenty of smaller ones doing great work to.

Only you can decide which order is best for you. You have to figure out why you want to join an order in the first place, and then decide what order fits what you want to accomplish. Are you looking for contemplation and prayer, maybe missionary work, or do you want to evangelize? It’s up to you and there is an order out there that will fulfill your dream. One thing I would stress though is try to find one near your home so that you can attend some meetings. They will be important for your personal development and growth in the order.

Don’t get frustrated with your search. This is really the fun part, so relax, take your time, and look all of the orders over carefully, and yes pray. Pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you in this journey and eventually an order will just feel right to you.

Good luck and God Bless…
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Thanks! This explains a LOT
 
I’m having a similar problem- I don’t know what orders to look at. I’ll be watching this thread:thumbsup:
 
This site provides a list of religious orders within the Church, specific communities within that order, and links to websites. It’s relatively poorly organized, but I think it might help some people.

rosmini.org/order/

What would be much more useful is a list of Religious Orders with their corresponding charisms described in a nutshell. If such a list doesn’t exist, I’m sure the scholarly and discerning communities would certain thank the person(s) that made one.
 
Try looking at Vision magazine. It’s free to get one, just do a Google search for their website and tell them that you want one.

Also when discerning, I looked at a few different communities. There were a few that I really didn’t feel at home with. You’ll know if the place fits or not. It’s a gut feeling at first and when you find where you might belong, it’s a heart feeling.

Good Luck,
Anne (discerning with the SNDs) www.snd1.org
 
I’ve met a few priests and brothers from the Legionnaires of Christ. The order is a relatively new one, anyway, you can google that, too.
 
pray, pray, pray. get a spiritual director ASAP. try religiousministries.com and search local ones in your area you can visit. the internet has tons of info. keep active in Church and frequent the Sacraments. learn about the different kinds of orders (active, contemplative, cloistered, diocesan, etc) and their charism or apostalate (what they do), narrow down your choices, and talk to vocation directors from different orders. go on “Come and See” visits (discernment trips). God bless!
 
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