What are third orders in the Catholic Church?

Answer 1

Third Orders are, in general, lay members of religious orders - men and women who do not necessarily live in community and yet can claim to wear the habit and participate in the good works of the order. The Third Orders can each be divided into (a) regulars - living in convents or monasteries, and (b) seculars - living in the world. Of these the first take vows, the latter can only make a solemn promise (except that Carmelite Tertiaries apparently take some sort of vows of obedience and chastity.)

Answer 2

I'm not sure what you are asking, there is only one Catholic Church, which is manifested as hundreds of particular Churches (each diocese) each headed by a Bishop. Within each diocese (each particular Church) there are dozens, if not hundreds of parishes, most of which contain a Church building. I know of nowhere where there are just three Catholic Churches.

Answer 3

Roman Catholic AnswerThere are literally dozens, if not hundreds of different religious orders of men in the Church. You can see a list of many of them at the link below.

Answer 4

The word "Order" is used in several ways in the Catholic Church.

the following is the description of Order in the Modern Catholic Dictionary

Order. A methodical arrangement of things; a body of persons, as a group united by a common bond and living under common religious or social regulations; a grade in the Christian ministry; a single choir in the angelic hierarchy; a fraternity or society; a prescribed form of service as Order in the Mass, and a group of persons of the same occupation, profession, guild membership, or confraternity.

For instance, there are Religious Orders, institutes of men or women at least some of whose members take solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience: Benedictines, Cistercians,

Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits, etc. But they are Orders within the Church, they do not form the Church.

Similarly, there are "Orders" of clergy: Major Orders include Bishop, Priest, Deacon, Minor Orders include (Ordinary Form) Lectors

and Acolytes, (Extraordinary Form) Porter, Lector,

Acolyte, Sub-deacon.

Again, they do not form the Church. this refers to the Sacrament of Orders.

Order of Charity. The Order to be observed in loving one's

neighbor. This comes close to "forming" the Church.

Orders of Knighthood:

Certain religious confraternities that arose during the Middle Ages, and later. The Knights of Columbus would be the most well known, although there are several papal Orders of Knighthood that are still conferred:

1. Supreme Order of Christ

2. Order of Pius IX

3. Order of St. Gregory the Great

4. Order of St. Sylvester

5. Order of the Golden Militia or Spur

6. Order of the Holy Sepulcher

Answer 5

Your question is too vague. Do you mean the three levels or orders of Holy Orders? if so, that would be deacon, priest and bishop.