Christian Doctrine Fathers
# Christian Doctrine Fathers

The Christian Doctrine Fathers officially named Congregation of Christian Doctrine (Latin: Congregatio Patrum Doctrinae Christianae), abbreviated D.C. and also commonly called the Doctrinaries, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men.

As of 31 December 2020, the congregation consisted of 20 communities with 85 religious, 54 of them priests. Dottrinari priests are devoted mainly to parish ministry, teaching and publishing—especially catechetical texts.

## History

The Congregation was founded on 29 September 1592 in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France by French priest César de Bus (1544–1607) as a community of priests devoted to the secular education of children. It was approved by the Holy See on 23 December 1597.

The congregation was reorganized by Pope Benedict XIII and Pope Benedict XIV, who in 1747 joined the brotherhood founded in Rome in 1560 by Marco de Sadis Cusani.

## Notable members

* José Alves da Costa – Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church (1939–2012)
* Hercule Audiffret – French orator and religious writer (1603–1659)
* César de Bus – French Catholic priest and saint (1544–1607)
* Vilson Dias de Oliveira – Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1958)
* Esprit Fléchier – French preacher, author, prelate of the Catholic Church (1632–1710); Entered the order in 1648 and left it in 1659.
