In some

religious orders A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practi ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, a congregation is a group of religious houses. In monastic orders, this would be monasteries; in orders of

canons regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...

, this would be

chapters Chapter or Chapters may refer to: Books * Chapter (books), a main division of a piece of writing or document * Chapter book, a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7–10 * Chapters (bookstore), Canadian big box bookstore ...

. Each congregation operates as an autonomous or independent subdivision of the religious order, and is presided over by a superior with a title such as

abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The fem ...

general, arch-abbot, abbot president, president, abbot ordinary, provost general or

superior general A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...

List

Canons Regular

The ''Annuario Pontificio'' lists the following as the congregations of the

Canons Regular of Saint Augustine Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...

, whose abbot primate lives in Rome: : Canons Regular of the Congregation of the Most Holy Saviour of the Lateran (abbot general in Rome) : Canons Regular of the Austrian Lateran Congregation (1907 – abbot general in Klosterneuburg, Austria) : Canons Regular of the Hospitalary Congregation of Great Saint Bernard (11th century – provost general in Martigny, Switzerland) : Canons Regular of the Swiss Congregation of Saint-Maurice of Agaune (1128 – abbot ordinary in Saint-Maurice, Switzerland) : Canons Regular of Saint Augustine of the Congregation of Windesheim (1386 – provost general in Paring, Germany) : Canons Regular of the Congregation of Saint Victor (1968 – abbot general in Champagne-sur-Rhône, France) :

Canons Regular of the Immaculate Conception The Canons Regular of the Immaculate Conception ( la, Congregatio Canonicorum Regularium Immaculatæ Conceptionis) are a Catholic religious order for men founded in France in 1871. They follow the Augustinian Rule and are part of the Order of Cano ...

(1866 – superior general in Rome) : Canons Regular of the Congregation of the Brothers of Common Life (14th century – superior general in Weilheim, Germany)

Benedictines

The ''Annuario Pontificio'' lists the following congregations of the

Benedictine Confederation The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict ( la, Confœderatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti) is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict. Origin The Benedictine Confederation is a union of monasti ...

, whose Abbot Primate lives in Rome: : English Benedictine Congregation (1336 – Abbot President in

Radstock Radstock is a town and civil parish on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, about south-west of Bath and north-west of Frome. It is within the area of the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset. The Radstoc ...

, England) : Hungarian Congregation (1514 – Archabbot in Pannonhalma, Hungary) : Swiss Congregation (1602– Abbot President in

Bolzano Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third la ...

, Italy) :

Austrian Congregation The Austrian Congregation is a congregation of Benedictine monasteries situated in Austria, within the Benedictine Confederation. History The Congregation was founded on 3 August 1625 by Pope Urban VIII, and consisted of eleven Benedictine monaster ...

(1625 – Abbot President in Stift Göttweig, Austria) :

Bavarian Congregation The Bavarian Congregation is a congregation of the Benedictine Confederation consisting (with one exception) of monasteries in Bavaria, Germany. It was founded on 26 August 1684 by Pope Innocent XI (1676-1689). First Congregation Until the secul ...

(1684 – Abbot President in Kloster Schäftlarn, Germany) :

Brazilian Congregation The Brazilian Congregation is a monastic congregation of the order of Saint Benedict.''Ann. Pont. 2010'', p. 1426. Founded in 1827, it is a member of the Benedictine Confederation. History The first Benedictines came from Portugal to Brazil i ...

(1827 – Abbot President in

Salvador Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' ( ...

, Brazil) :

Solesmes Congregation The Solesmes Congregation is an association of monasteries within the Benedictine Confederation headed by the Abbey of Solesmes. History The congregation was founded in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI as the French Benedictine Congregation, with the then ...

(1837 – Abbot President in

Sablé-sur-Sarthe Sablé-sur-Sarthe (, literally ''Sablé on Sarthe''), commonly referred to as Sablé, is a commune in the Sarthe department, in the Pays de la Loire region, western France. It is about 50 km northeast of Angers. Population Geography The Va ...

, France) :

American-Cassinese Congregation The American-Cassinese Congregation is a Catholic association of Benedictine monasteries founded in 1855. The monasteries of the congregation follow the monastic way of life as outlined by St. Benedict of Nursia in his early 6th century Rule of ...

(1855 – Abbot President in Collegeville, United States) :

Subiaco Cassinese Congregation The Subiaco Cassinese Congregation is an international union of Benedictine houses (abbeys and priories) within the Benedictine Confederation. It developed from the Subiaco Congregation, which was formed in 1867 through the initiative of Dom Piet ...

(1867 – Abbot President in Rome) :

Beuronese Congregation The Beuronese Congregation, or Beuron Congregation, is a union of mostly German or German-speaking religious houses of both monks and nuns within the Benedictine Confederation. The congregation stands under the protection of Saint Martin of Tours. ...

(1873 – Abbot President in

Maria Laach Maria Laach Abbey (in German: ''Abtei Maria Laach'', in Latin: ''Abbatia Maria Lacensis'' or ''Abbatia Maria ad Lacum'') is a Benedictine abbey situated on the southwestern shore of the Laacher See (Lake Laach), near Andernach, in the Eifel ...

, Germany) :

Swiss-American Congregation The Swiss-American Congregation is an association of Benedictine monasteries founded in 1881 in the United States, as a part of the international Benedictine Confederation of monasteries. History During the 19th century, a number of Benedictine ...

(1881 – Abbot President in

Saint Meinrad, Indiana Saint Meinrad is a census-designated place (CDP) in Harrison Township, Spencer County, Indiana, United States. Located along the Anderson River, it is home to the St. Meinrad Archabbey. Interstate 64 runs near the CDP, and it is situated about ...

, United States) :

Ottilien Congregation The Ottilien Congregation, often also known as the St. Ottilien Congregation and as the Missionary Benedictines, is a congregation of religious houses within the Benedictine Confederation, the aim of which is to combine the Benedictine way of lif ...

(1884 – Archabbot President in St. Ottilien Archabbey, Germany) :

Congregation of the Annunciation The Congregation of the Annunciation (''Congregatio Annuntiationis B.M.V.''), formerly known as the Belgian Congregation, is a congregation of monasteries within the Roman Catholic Benedictine Confederation. Founded in 1920, the Congregation inc ...

(1920 – Abbot President in

Trier Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the ...

, Germany) : Slav Congregation (1945 – Prior Administrator in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, Czech Republic) :

Cono-Sur Congregation The Cono-Sur Congregation (''Congregatio Cono-Sur'') is a congregation of monastery, monasteries within the Benedictine Confederation. Founded in 1976, the Congregation now includes ten male monasteries spread throughout four of the countries of Sou ...

(1976 – Abbot President in

Los Toldos Los Toldos (Sometimes referred to as General Viamonte) is a small town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated in General Viamonte Partido, which developed around a station of the same name on the Buenos Aires Western Railway. It is located ...

, Argentina)

Previously independent monastic orders which have joined the Benedictine Confederation

: Camaldolese Congregation (980 –

Prior Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for "earlier" or "first". Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be l ...

General in

Camaldoli Camaldoli () is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Poppi, in Tuscany, Italy. It is mostly known as the ancestral seat of the Camaldolese monastic order, originated in the eponymous hermitage, which can still be visited. The name was derived from ...

, Italy) : Vallombrosian Congregation (1036 – Abbot General in

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

, Italy) : Sylvestrine Congregation (1231 – Abbot General in Rome) : Olivetan Congregation (1319 – Abbot General in Asciano, Italy)

Cistercians

The ''Annuario Pontificio'' lists the following congregations of

Cistercians The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

, whose Abbot General lives in Rome:''Annuario Pontificio 2012'', pp. 1419–1422 : Castilian Cistercian Congregation (1425 – Abbot General acts as pro-President) : Cistercian Congregation of St Bernard in Italy (1497 – abbot president in San Severino Marche, Italy) : Cistercian Congregation of the Crown of Aragon (1616 – abbot president in Poblet, Spain) : Mehrerau Cistercian Congregation (1624 – abbot president in Bregenz, Austria) : Austrian Cistercian Congregation (1859 – abbot president in Heiligenkreuz, Austria) : Cistercian Congregation of the Immaculate Conception (1867 – abbot president in Ile Saint Honorat, France) : Zirc Cistercian Congregation (1923 – abbot president in

Zirc Zirc (german: Sirtz) is a town in Veszprém county, Hungary. It is the administrative seat of Zirc District. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Jews lived in Zirc. In 1910, 92 Jews lived in Zirc, Some of them w ...

, Hungary) : Casamari Cistercian Congregation (1929 – abbot president in

Casamari Casamari Abbey is a Cistercian abbey in the Province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east-south-east of Veroli. It marks the site of Cereatae, the birthplace of Caius Marius, afterwards known, as inscriptions attest, as ...

, Italy) : Cistercian Congregation of Mary Queen of the World (1953 – abbot president in

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

, Poland) : Brazilian Cistercian Congregation (1961 – abbot president in Itaporanga, Brazil) : Cistercian Congregation of the Holy Family (1964 – abbot president in Thành-Phô Ho Chí Minh, Vietnam)

References