Benedictine

The Benedictines are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Founded by Benedict of Nursia in 529, they are the oldest of all the religious orders in the Latin Church. The order is organized as a collection of autonomous monasteries and convents, with no single hierarchy, and is represented internationally by the Benedictine Confederation. Benedictine nuns are given the title Dame in preference to Sister. The Rule of Saint Benedict, which presumes the autonomy of each community, survived and eventually became the standard form of monastic life throughout Western Europe, except for Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, where the Celtic observance prevailed for another century or two.learn more on wikipedia