Portal:Religious orders/Intro: Difference between revisions

A '''[[religious order]]''' is a form of [[Consecrated life|consecrated life]] within the [[Catholic Church]], in which members profess the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, dedicating themselves to [[God]] through a life of [[Prayer|prayer]], service, and community. Rooted in the Church’s mission to proclaim the [[Gospel]] and foster the [[salvation]] of souls, religious orders are communities of men or women who live according to a specific rule, such as those of [[Saint Benedict]], [[Saint Francis of Assisi]], or [[Saint Ignatius of Loyola]], serving the Church through various apostolates like education, healthcare, and missionary work. Operating under the authority of the [[Pope]] in [[Vatican City]], religious orders engage the Church’s 1.39 billion members as of 2023, guided by the [[Magisterium]], the Church’s teaching authority comprising the Pope and [[Bishop|bishops]].

[[Special:CargoTables/ReligiousOrders]]