Piarists

Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools

Latin: Ordo Clericorum Regularium Pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum
Abbreviation	SchP, SP
Nickname	Piarists
Formation	25 March March 25, 1617 (407 years ago) (March 25, 1617-03-25)
Founder	Saint Fr. Joseph Calasanz, Sch. P.
Type	Catholic religious & Mendicant order of Clerics Regular of pontifical right
Headquarters	Piazza dei Massimi, 4, Rome, Italy
Coordinates	41°53′50.5″N 12°28′24.33″E / 41.897361°N 12.4734250°E / 41.897361; 12.4734250
Membership	1,356 members (includes 945 priests) as of 2020
Superior General	Fr. Pedro Aguado Cuesta, SchP[1]
Parent organization	Catholic Church
Website	scolopi.org

The Piarists (/ˈpaɪərɪsts/), officially named the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools (Latin: Ordo Clericorum Regularium pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum), abbreviated SchP, is a religious order of clerics regular of the Catholic Church founded in 1617 by Spanish priest Joseph Calasanz. It is the oldest religious order dedicated to education, and the main occupation of the Piarist fathers is teaching children and youth, the primary goal being to provide free education for poor children. The Piarist practice was to become a model for numerous later Catholic societies devoted to teaching, while some state-supported public school systems in Europe also followed their example. The Piarists have had a considerable success in the education of physically or mentally disabled persons. Notable individuals who have taught at Piarist schools include Pope Pius IX, Goya, Schubert, Gregor Mendel, Tadeusz Kościuszko,^[2] and Victor Hugo.