What is a Dominican tertiary?

Answer 1

Just for Just for clarification. The Third Order is divided into two groups: Regulars, religious sisters living in convents, and Seculars, which is made up by the laity. The first take holy vows, the latter only make a solemn promise which, however, distinguishes them from members of mere confraternities, and are legal members of a religious Order. Members of the Third Order are commonly called "Tertiaries" or "Laity". The general object of this specific Third Order is to bring the religious spirit of the cloister into the world and to sanctify its members by striving after greater perfection in union with the First Order made up by the Dominican priests and brothers and Second Order which is made up by cloistered nuns. Secular members lived normal lives, whether married or single, to perform their work in the ordinary world, but add the dimension of living their lives by their specific Rules and within the spirit of the Order. At the time of burial the member would request to be buried with the habit of the Order. The Franciscans also have the same devotional group. A practicing catholic, man or woman, can only belong to either the Franciscan or the Dominican Order and can not belong to both Orders at the same time but may leave one Order to join the other.