Clerics Regular

Regular Clerics are Roman Catholic clerics that bind in their life to a religious rule. The name is derived from the Latin term regulators (regulation, rule).

In a broader sense Regular Clerics are therefore generally priests who belong to a religious institute and not for the secular clergy ( secular clerics ). In this holistic sense Clerics Regular is a synonym for religious priests.

In a narrower sense, the term Regular Clerics on the other hand refers to a certain type of religious communities as they exist primarily in the 16th and 17th centuries during the Counter Reformation from the merger of like-minded priests. The term expresses that insinuate the cleric a common rule without forming a traditional monastic community. These are cooperatives ( congregations ) that are not withdrawn live in monastic communities or isolated convents, but whose members are pastoral and apostolic work in the world. Most of them live like all religious in local communities ( communities ), but takes the regulated community life a less important role than in traditional religious or even in most modern congregations one. So the rules of some Clerics Regular Communities in principle allow a life outside of the community and require only that the individual bond with the spirituality of communion, and placed under a common management and discipline.

In addition to the three traditional religious vows of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, some Clerics Regular communities know additional vows. Thus, there are the Jesuits the special vow of obedience to the Pope, and the Marianas promise as a fourth vow not to seek ecclesiastical.

The largest and most famous priest cooperative, which is counted among the regular clergy, the Jesuits ( the Society of Jesus to call it ). The oldest Regular Clerics Congregation are the Theatines. Other examples of Clerics Regular Order of the Regional Minor clerics (including Mariana, Caracciolanen or Adorno Fathers called ), the Kamillaner, the Marians, the Piaristen that Somaschi and the Clerics Regular of the Good Jesus.

A much older religious type, which is also formed from the merger of clerics, but is clearly influenced monastic, the Canons Regular.