Friar

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Friar" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Friars are different from monks in that they are called to the great evangelical counsels (vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience) in service to society, rather than through cloistered asceticism and devotion. Whereas monks live in a self-sufficient community, friars work among laypeople and are supported by donations or other charitable support.^[2] Monks or nuns make their vows and commit to a particular community in a particular place. Friars commit to a community spread across a wider geographical area known as a province and so they will typically move around, spending time in different houses of the community within their province.

Etymology

The English term friar is derived from the

.

Orders

Part of a series on the
Hierarchy of the Catholic Church
Saint Peter
Ecclesiastical titles (order of precedence)
Pope Cardinal Cardinal Vicar Crown Prince Protector Moderator of the curia Chaplain of His Holiness Papal legate Papal majordomo Apostolic nuncio Apostolic delegate Apostolic Syndic Apostolic visitor Vicar apostolic Apostolic exarch Apostolic prefect Assistant to the papal throne Eparch Metropolitan Patriarch Catholicos Bishop Archbishop Bishop emeritus Diocesan bishop Major archbishop Primate Suffragan bishop Titular bishop Coadjutor bishop Auxiliary bishop Prelate Provost Pontiff Territorial prelate Territorial abbot
Liturgical titles Acolyte Consecrator Lector Subdeacon
Administrative and pastoral titles Auditor Brother Chancellor Chaplain Military chaplain Military ordinary Coarb Confessor Consultor Curate Deacon Archdeacon Defender of the bond Definitor Devil's advocate Diocesan administrator Ecclesiastical judge Exorcist Laity Lay abbot Abthain Commendatory Lay cardinal Minister Major orders Minor orders Missionary Monsignor Officialis Ostiarius Pastor Assistant pastor Palatinus Personal prelate Preacher Prefect Presbyter Elder Priest Principal Protonotary apostolic Reverend Saint Servant of God Blessed Venerable Seminarian Vicar Judicial vicar Vicar general Vicar forane Sub-dean
Consecrated and professed titles Abbess Abbot Consecrated virgin Corrector Custos Friar Dean Grand master Hermit Master of novices Monk Novice Nun Postulant Oblate Prior Provincial superior Rector Religious Superior general
Additional titles Almoner Altar server Archimandrite Archpriest Archdeacon Canon Captain General of the Church Chorbishop Coarb Commissary Apostolic Datarius Gonfalonier of the Church Honorary Prelate Minor canon Notarius Ostiarius Peritus Postulator Prebendary Precentor Prince-bishop Prince-abbot Prince-primate Prince-provost Promotor Fidei Protopriest Protodeacon Protosyncellus Regionarius Sacristan
Organization titles Grand master Knights Hospitaller Order of the Holy Sepulchre Teutonic Knights Inquisitor Grand Inquisitor Preceptor
Catholic Church portal
v t e

In the Roman Catholic church, there are two classes of orders known as friars, or mendicant orders: the four great orders and the so-called lesser orders.

Major orders

The four great orders were mentioned by the

Second Council of Lyons

(1274):

• The
  Innocent IV in 1247. The Carmelites were founded as a purely contemplative order, but became mendicants in 1245. There are two types of Carmelites, those of the Ancient Observance (OCarm) and those of the Discalced Carmelites (OCD), founded by St. Teresa of Ávila
  in the 16th century.

• The
  Order of Friars Minor Conventual wearing grey or black habits (thus known as Grey Friars). In the Franciscan order, a friar may be an ordained priest or a religious brother.^[4]
• The
  Rule of St. Augustine. They became a mendicant order in 1221. There are also Dominican Orders within the Anglican Communion, such as the Order of Christ the Saviour.^[5]
• The Augustinians, founded in 1244 (the "Little Union") and enlarged in 1256 (the Grand Union). They are also known as the Hermits of St. Augustine or the Austin Friars. Their rule is based on the writings of Augustine of Hippo. The Augustinians were assembled from various groups of hermits as a mendicant order by Pope Innocent IV in 1244 (Little Union). Additional groups were added by Alexander IV in 1256 (Grand Union).

Lesser orders

Some of the lesser orders are:

• The
  Trinitarians
  , established in 1198
• The Mercedarians, established in 1218
• The
  Servites
  , established in 1240
• The
  Minims
  , established in 1474
• The Third Order Regular of St. Francis, a branch of the
  Third Order of St. Francis
  , part of the Franciscan Order established in 1447
• The Discalced Carmelites, established in 1568
• The Order of Augustinian Recollects, established in 1598 through the Chapter of Toledo
• The
  Discalced Trinitarians
  , established in 1599
• The
  Order of Penance
  , established in 1781.

Order of Malta

In the Sovereign Military Order of Malta the term Fra' (an abbreviation for the Latin word "frater" meaning "brother") is used when addressing the professed Knights of Justice who have taken vows.

Other Christian traditions

Orders of friars (and sisters) exist in other Christian traditions, including the Order of Lutheran Franciscans, the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans and the Order of Lesser Sisters and Brothers.^[6] In the Anglican Communion there are also a number of mendicant groups such as the Anglican Friars Preachers, the Society of Saint Francis and the Order of St Francis.^[7]

Other usage of the term

Several

The

The University of Michigan's oldest a cappella group is a male octet known as The Friars.^[8] The University of Pennsylvania has a senior honor society known as Friars. Sports teams at Father Dueñas Memorial School on the island of Guam are known as the Friars.

References