Second Order of Saint Augustine

religious order

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July 13, 2026

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The Second Order of Saint Augustine refers to Augustinian nuns and sisters who are jurisdictionally dependent on the Augustinian Friars. Founded in 1264, these nuns were strictly cloistered until 1401, after which they began accepting third-order affiliates. These affiliates are women who engage in apostolic works outside the cloister, serving in schools, hospitals, and missions.1

A distinct group are the Hospital Sisters of Hôtel-Dieu and Malestroit. These sisters, following the Rule of St. Augustine, were active in the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris from at least 1217. They have continued their work through various historical periods, including surviving the French Revolution and establishing new institutions after being expelled in 1907.1

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Augustinian
Augustinian nuns and sisters
Among nuns, the term Second Order of St. Augustine applies only to those nuns who are jurisdictionally dependent upon the Augustinian Friars. They were founded in 1264 and remained strictly cloistered until 1401, but at that date they began to accept third-order affiliates—women who desired to perform apostolic works…
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Among nuns, the term Second Order of St. Augustine applies only to those nuns who are jurisdictionally dependent upon the Augustinian Friars. They were founded in 1264 and remained strictly cloistered until 1401, but at that date they began to accept third-order affiliates—women who desired to perform apostolic works…
Read More