The two types of clergy were regular clergy and secular clergy. Regular clergy were those who were in monastic orders, and so were regulated by the rules of those orders; they included monks and abbots. Secular clergy were those who served the secular population; they were deacons, priests, and bishops serving the secular people, or people who were not clergy.

The secular clergy are ordained priests who serve within a diocese under the authority of a bishop. They typically focus on pastoral work and serving the needs of a specific parish community, as opposed to members of religious orders who follow a specific rule and live in a community dedicated to prayer and service.

clergy, clerical, secular

Regular clergy live in a communal setting and follow a specific rule or order, such as monks or nuns in a monastery. Secular clergy are ordained ministers who serve in a parish and engage with the wider community in their religious duties, such as priests in a church.

Secular clergy are ordained ministers who are not bound by a religious order and typically serve in a specific geographic location such as a parish. Religious clergy belong to a specific religious order or congregation and may live in a community setting with other clergy members. They often take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in addition to their ordination vows.