Third order/secular orders

[Woolybabe]

Can anyone please explain the difference between a third order and a secular order.
From the little I understand a first order is a cloistered monk, the second is a cloistered nun, and the third order is of men and women who are not cloistered, married, single etc. (Please do correct me if I’m wrong! But I can’t work out the difference between that and a secular order. Thanks in advance for your help

 

[Franciscan_Way]

In the Franciscan order, lay men/women married/unmarried were once referred to as third order Franciscans. The term isn’t used as much anymore. Now, we are referred to as Secular Franciscans.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Can anyone please explain the difference between a third order and a secular order.
From the little I understand a first order is a cloistered monk, the second is a cloistered nun, and the third order is of men and women who are not cloistered, married, single etc. (Please do correct me if I’m wrong! But I can’t work out the difference between that and a secular order. Thanks in advance for your help

It is not with the monastics but rather with the friars movement of the 12th/13th century that the third orders are most associated…although they are present preceding this movement, with the Canons Regular.

There was a unicity in the monastic rule. Monks and nuns were governed by the same Rule in the West. Lay people associated with the monastery were oblates and they live the monastic rule in so far as it can be adapted to their life and circumstance.

Given the radical difference between the life of a friar and a cloistered nun, it was necessary to have different rules governing the First Order and the Second Order. When laity asked for a rule, similarly something was written that was specific to them.

The first order are the friars. The second order are cloistered nuns. Third Orders came to be divided into two:

Third Orders Regular would include for example the active, apostolic Sisters who were teachers, health care professionals, and so forth. They have vows and community life.

Third Orders Secular are for lay men and women, married and single, living in their own homes and who make, eventually, life long promises after their period of formation.

Each of the third orders secular have websites today which provide excellent information.

 

[phil19034]

It is not with the monastics but rather with the friars movement of the 12th/13th century that the third orders are most associated…although they are present preceding this movement, with the Canons Regular.

There was a unicity in the monastic rule. Monks and nuns were governed by the same Rule in the West. Lay people associated with the monastery were oblates and they live the monastic rule in so far as it can be adapted to their life and circumstance.

Given the radical difference between the life of a friar and a cloistered nun, it was necessary to have different rules governing the First Order and the Second Order. When laity asked for a rule, similarly something was written that was specific to them.

The first order are the friars. The second order are cloistered nuns. Third Orders came to be divided into two:

Third Orders Regular would include for example the active, apostolic Sisters who were teachers, health care professionals, and so forth. They have vows and community life.

Third Orders Secular are for lay men and women, married and single, living in their own homes and who make, eventually, life long promises after their period of formation.

Each of the third orders secular have websites today which provide excellent information.

This!

A good example of a Third Order Regular are the Franciscan Friars who run Franciscan University of Steubenville franciscanstor.org. They are also the ones who created the “Wild Goose” series about the Holy Spirit thewildgooseisloose.com/ and the upcoming series about St. Francis called “Sign of Contradiction - the Story of St. Francis of Assis” thewildgooseisloose.com/sign-of-contradiction.

As a contrast, good example of a Third Order Secular (or Secular Order) is the St. Katherine Drexel Region of the Secular Order Franciscans – skdregion.org/

Wikipedia also has some decent** articles on Third orders: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Order_of_Saint_Francis
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_Franciscan_Order
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Order_of_Saint_Francis
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_order

** always take Wikipedia with a grain of salt.

God Bless

 

[tawny]

In the Franciscan order, lay men/women married/unmarried were once referred to as third order Franciscans. The term isn’t used as much anymore. Now, we are referred to as Secular Franciscans.

Secular Franciscans are still Third Order Franciscans under the auspices of Rome.

 

[tawny]

It is not with the monastics but rather with the friars movement of the 12th/13th century that the third orders are most associated…although they are present preceding this movement, with the Canons Regular.

There was a unicity in the monastic rule. Monks and nuns were governed by the same Rule in the West. Lay people associated with the monastery were oblates and they live the monastic rule in so far as it can be adapted to their life and circumstance.

Given the radical difference between the life of a friar and a cloistered nun, it was necessary to have different rules governing the First Order and the Second Order. When laity asked for a rule, similarly something was written that was specific to them.

The first order are the friars. The second order are cloistered nuns. Third Orders came to be divided into two:

Third Orders Regular would include for example the active, apostolic Sisters who were teachers, health care professionals, and so forth. They have vows and community life.

Third Orders Secular are for lay men and women, married and single, living in their own homes and who make, eventually, life long promises after their period of formation.

Each of the third orders secular have websites today which provide excellent information.

Correct.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Can anyone please explain the difference between a third order and a secular order.
From the little I understand a first order is a cloistered monk, the second is a cloistered nun, and the third order is of men and women who are not cloistered, married, single etc. (Please do correct me if I’m wrong! But I can’t work out the difference between that and a secular order. Thanks in advance for your help

Here a few websites

Since you are in Devonshire, I gave preference to websites in the UK, when available.

The Norbertine Third Order

premontre.info/Publica/Gate-Welcome%20Page/Gate-FAQs.htm

The Secular Franciscan Order

ofsgb.org/
nafra-sfo.org/

The Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic

laydominicans.org.uk/
op.org/en/content/dominican-laity
laydominicans.org/

The Lay Carmelites [Ancient Observance]

carmelite.org/index.php?nuc=content&id=8
ocarm.org/en/content/ocarm/what-lay-carmelite-and-how-do-i-become-one

The Discalced Carmelites Secular Order [Teresian Reform]

carmeldiscalcedsecular.org.uk/
ocdswashprov.org/

The Trinitarian Third Order

trinitarians.org/about/laity.html

The Mercedarian Third Order

orderofmercy.org/third-order.html
orderofmercy.org/assets/3rd-order-pamphlet-scanned-10292014.pdf

The Servite Third Order

servitefriars.org/
servite.org/About/servite-secular-order.aspx

The Augustinian Third Order

augustinian.org/seculars-friends/

Third Order of Mary [under the Marists]

societyofmaryusa.org/about/index.html

The Minim Third Order

home.earthlink.net/~jvega/ni00004.htm
ordinedeiminimi.it/terziari.htm

Augustinian Recollects Secular Order

agustinosrecoletos.com/iv-secular-augustinian-recollect-fraternity-national-reunion-with-vocation-as-theme/?lang=en

 

[Woolybabe]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question.

 

[Bookcat]

Can anyone please explain the difference between a third order and a secular order.
From the little I understand a first order is a cloistered monk, the second is a cloistered nun, and the third order is of men and women who are not cloistered, married, single etc. (Please do correct me if I’m wrong! But I can’t work out the difference between that and a secular order. Thanks in advance for your help

There are third order “regular” who are religious (so they are celibate).

Third orders “secular” are secular - are secular (not religious) as lay persons or as secular Priests (non -religious Priests) or Perm. Deacons.

They lay tertiaries can be married as can perm. Deacons.

 

[Bookcat]

The Historical Third Orders Secular (and all are still in existence):

Secular Franciscan Order (Third Order of St. Francis)

Lay Dominicans (Dominican Third Order)

Third Order Secular of the Carmelite Order

Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (Discalced Carmelite Third Order)

Third Order Secular of Most Holy Trinity (Tertiaries of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives)

Mercedarian Third Order (Tertiaries of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy)

Servite Secular Order (Third Order of the Order of the Servants of Mary)

Secular Augustinians (Third Order of the Augustinian Order)

Secular Augustinian Recollects (Third Order of the Augustinian Recollect)

Minims Third Order

Premonstratensian Third Order

(PS: the names used can vary at times).