Where next?
There are Religious Orders of all shapes and sizes.
- Some spend more time in prayer and work within the house.
- Monks are men's orders and Nuns are women.
- Some Orders were founded for Missionary work.
- Many Women's Orders live and work in the wider community.
- Men who wish to become Religious can choose to join an order of Brothers or an order with both Priests and Brothers.
Please note that the links below will open in a new window or tab
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Monks
- Benedictines
- Benedictines — Ampleforth Abbey
- Benedictines — Belmont Abbey
- Benedictines — Buckfast Abbey
- Benedictines Douai (English Benedictine Congregation)
- Benedictines — Downside Abbey
- Benedictines — Worth Abbey
- Carthusians
- Carthusians — St. Hugh's Charterhouse of Parkminster
- Cistercians
- Cistercians of the Strict Observance — Nunraw Abbey (Scotland)
- St Michael's Abbey Farnborough
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Nuns/Sisters
- Benedictines Isle of Wight
- Benedictines (Tyburn Convent)
- Bernardine Cistercian
- Monastery of Our Lady and St. Bernard (Bernardine Cistercian)
- Monastery of Our Lady of Hyning (Bernardine Cistercian)
- Carmelite Monastery at Ware
- Contemplative Dominican Nuns
- Holy Family of Bordeaux
- Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
- Poor Clare Colettine Community
- Stanbrook Abbey (English Benedictine Congregation)
- Sister Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Olivetan Benedictines/Vita Et Pax (Turvey Abbey)
- Order of the Poor Clares of Arundel (featured recently on BBC)
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Missionary Orders
- Claretian Missionaries
- Columban Missionary Society
- Franciscan Missionaries of Mary
- Franciscan Missionaries of St. Joseph
- Little Sisters of Jesus
- Medical Mission Sisters
- Medical Missionaries of Mary
- Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)
- Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
- Missionary Sisters (Servants of the Holy Spirit)
- Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary
- Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (White Sisters)
- Missionary Sisters of St Columban (Columban Sisters)
- Missionary Society of St. Paul
- Company of Mary / Montfort Missionaries
- Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Our Lady of the Missions
- Religious of Mary Immaculate (Claretian Sisters)
- Society of African Missions
- Spiritans (Congregation of the Holy Ghost)
- St Joseph's Missionary Society (Mill Hill Missionaries)
- The Vincentians (CMs)
- Verona Fathers/Comboni Missionaries
- Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood
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Women's Orders
- Sisters of the Holy Cross
- Augustinian Canoness of the Mercy of Jesus
- Canonesses of St Augustine (Boarbank Hall)
- Benedictines Grace and Compassion
- Congregation of Jesus
- Daughters of Charity in Britain
- Daughters of Divine Love
- Daughters of Jesus (Filles de Jesus)
- Daughters of Mary and Joseph (Dames de Marie)
- Daughters of St. Paul (Paulines)
- Daughters of the Holy Spirit (Filles du Saint-Esprit)
- Daughters of Wisdom
- Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena (Bushey)
- Dominican Sisters of the English Congregation of St. Catherine of Siena (Stone)
- Faithful Companions of Jesus
- Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Little Hampton (FMSL)
- Franciscan Sisters Minoress
- Sisters Adorers, Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament and of Charity (Adoratrices)
- Holy Family of Bordeaux
- Infant Jesus Sisters
- Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loreto Sisters)
- La Retraite
- Little Company of Mary
- Little Sisters of the Assumption
- Marie Reparatrice Sisters
- Marist Sisters
- Notre Dame de Namur
- Order of Carmelites Discalced
- Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ
- Poor Servants of the Mother of God
- Presentation Sisters
- Religions of the Assumption (Assumption Sisters)
- Religious of Mary Immaculate (Claretian Sisters)
- Religious Sisters of Charity
- Servite Sisters (Servants of Mary)
- Sisters of Bon Secours
- Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle
- Sisters of Christ
- Sisters of Evron
- Sisters of Mercy
- Sisters of the Cenacle
- Sisters of the Christian Retreat
- Sisters of the Cross and Passion (Passionist)
- Sisters of Our Lady
- Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
- Society of the Holy Child Jesus
- Society of the Sacred Heart
- Sisters of Sion
- Sisters of St. Augustine of the Mercy of Jesus
- Sisters of St Joseph of Annecy
- Sisters of St Joseph of Peace
- Sisters of St Mary of Namur
- The Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
- The Urusulines
- The Urusulines of Jesus
- The Urusulines of Wales
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Brothers
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Priests, Brothers and Friars
- Augustinians
- Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (Capuchins)
- Carmelite Friars in the UK
- Order of Carmelites Discalced
- Carmelites — Preston
- Canons Regular of Prémontré (Norbertines/Premonstratensians/White Canons) — Storrington Abbey
- Friar Servants of Mary (Servites)
- Institute of Charity (Rosminians)
- Marian Fathers — Fawley Court
- Missionaries, Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians)
- Passionists
- Redemptorist Vocation Site in Britain
- Salesians of Don Bosco
- Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
- The Josephites
- Society of Mary (Marist Fathers)
- Society of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorians)
- The Sons of Divine Providence
- Spiritans
- Order of Friars Minor (OFM)
- Order of Friars Minor Conventual (Conventuals) (OFM Conv.)
- Franciscans of Saint Mary of the Angels (FSMA)
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Other useful Catholic sites
- Conference of Religious
- Conference of Religious — Members Page (a directory listing religious orders)
- Diocesan Vocations Service of England & Wales
- Serra International (lay organisation to promote vocations)
- Catholic Church — List of English and Welsh Dioceses
- Westminster Diocese
- Catholic Nuns Today