!!!Augustiner-Chorherren

Augustinian Canons Regular (CRSA = Ordo Canonicorum Regularium 
Sancti Augustini), Catholic men's order adhering to the Rule of 
St. Augustine; unlike other orders, not founded by an individual 
or a group, but a form of priestly community life with monastic oaths 
which grew out of old traditions (from the 4th century) and the 
Gregorian Reform (11th and 12th centuries). Each monastery is an 
independent unit with an elected abbot (Provost) at its head. The most 
prosperous times of the Augustinian Canons Regular were in the 12th 
and 18th centuries. Under Emperor Joseph II 10 monasteries were 
closed in the present territory of Austria (St. Andrae an der 
Traisen, St. Dorothea in Vienna, Gurk, Poellau, St. Poelten, 
Rottenmann, Seckau, Stainz, Suben and Waldhausen), 2 more were closed 
at the beginning of the 19th century (St. Andrae im Lavanttal, 
Ranshofen).

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The activities of the Augustinian Canons Regular are mainly focussed 
on parish and special ministry, as well as educational tasks and 
science and art.

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The monasteries of the Augustinian Canons Regular are united to form 
congregations (united since 1959 as the Confederation of Regular 
Canons of St. Augustine under an Archabbot): thus in 1907 the 
Augustinian Canons Regular monasteries existing in Austria at the 
time, St. Florian (founded 1071), Reichersberg (1084), 
Herzogenburg (1112), Klosterneuburg (1133), Neustift near 
Brixen/Bressanone (1142) and Vorau (1163) were united to form the 
Congregatio Austriaca Can. Reg. Lateranensium, which is led by an 
Abbot General elected for a certain term (since 1987 the Provost of 
St. Florian).

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The Augustinian Canons Regular currently (1994) take care of 107 
parishes incorporated into the monasteries with 152 regular priests 
(total 189 members) and approximately 280,000 Catholic parish members 
(excluding Neustift near Brixen: 127 regular priests and 89 parishes).

!Further reading
M. Schmid and S. Diermeier, Kurzgefasste Geschichte 
der Augustiner-Chorherren, 1961/62; F. Roehrig (ed.), Die bestehenden 
Stifte der Augustiner-Chorherren in Oesterreich, Suedtirol und Polen, 
1997.


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