Great Orders of the Catholic Church

From very early in her history the Church has been filled with men and women who have dedicated themselves exclusively to God in the religious life. Over the centuries the Holy Spirit has inspired a multitude of religious orders, from which many of the great saints have emerged. This booklet examines the Benedictines, the Augustinian family, the Cistercians, the Carthusians, the Dominicans, the Franciscan family and the Carmelites, looking at the origins of each, their distinctive charisms, and the great saints they have inspired.