The Dominican Family

The First Order consists of the friars,
both priests and cooperator brothers
like Saint Thomas Aquinas
and Saint Martin de Porres respectively.

The Second Order consists of the cloistered nuns
like Saint Agnes of Montepulciano
and Saint Catherine de Ricci.

The religious Third Order
consists of conventual sisters
like Saint Marie Poussepin.

The secular Third Order
consists of lay people and diocesan clergy
like Saint Magdalen of Nagasaki
and Saint Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort.

The terms "First, Second and Third"
do not refer to chronological order
but ecclesiastical order.

This information formerly posted at (/by) http://www.op-stjoseph.org/third-order/index.htm .