Q. 1. Why does the Catholic Church have so many different religious Orders? I think there should be just one Order, ending all the duplication.

A. 1. There is no duplication involved in religious Orders. Each Order has its own mandate, serving a unique purpose as the following examples show:

Benedictines: Live a monastic life.

Christian Brothers: Teachers.

Dominicans: Preachers.

Franciscans: Love for and identify with the poor.

Jesuits: Care for the sick and to fortify the position of the Pope within the Church.

Oblates of Mary Immaculate: Revive the spirit of faith by means of missions and retreats.

Opus Dei: Spreading the universal call to holiness.

Redemptorists: Spread the Gospel to the poor and most abandoned.

etc...