abstract:A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy. An archconfraternity is a "franchise" of confraternities, able to establish different groups using the same names and rules, such as the Confraternities of the Cord, Confraternity of the Rosary and others.
N
a group of men united for some particular purpose, esp Christian laymen organized for religious or charitable service; brotherhood 协会; 尤指由基督教一般信徒成立的宗教或慈善组织; 兄弟会
For example, in the Dominican Republic, following the proclamation of the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa Mella, which organises socio-religious ceremonies stemming from African-American culture, threats have disappeared: the plan to build a road that would have cut in half the village of Mata Los Indios, the community's core, has been abandoned, and the confraternity's activities have become more famous than ever (via CD-Rom, participation in events, etc.).