Canons Regular of the Immaculate Conception

CANONS REGULAR OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. - This order is a restoration of the ancient Canons Regular for the re-establishment in the canonical life of many of the most severe practices of the monastic life, carried out by Fr. Adrien Gréa in 1866 at St-Claude. After the Revolution, while Fr. Guéranger was re-establishing in France the Benedictine Order and Lacordaire that of the Preachers, Fr. Adrien Gréa, then vicar general of St-Claude, thought of re-establishing the Order of the C.R. devoted to the service of cathedrals and parishes. Having come to Rome for the Vatican Council in 1869 with his bishop, he set out his project before Pius IX, who encouraged him and blessed him, giving the new institution the title of the Immaculate Conception. From that moment the C.R. performed choral service in the Cathedral together with the Chapter. They were assisted by twelve young pupils, who gave rise to the school of the Cathedral.

Approved by Leo XIII in 1887, the new institute soon spread through France, Switzerland, Canada and Peru, and in 1913 Pius X defined its twofold purpose: parochial care and the education of the clergy. The C.R. take simple perpetual vows, and have special care for the liturgy, with the choral recitation of the divine Office, giving the functions the greatest splendor. In the parishes and seminaries of which they have charge, they live a common life.