"supernumerary " ?

Well, some 3rd Orders are actually vowed religious, so careful with the term

More properly they are now being called "Lay Franciscan" or "Lay Dominican", etc. Or Secular Carmelite (although that, too can be improper)

CONFUSION REIGNS!

apologises and thanks Adoro. So would a vow be one key difference? And: Can a Lay Franciscan work (and sanctify working) "in the world"?

Yes...that's what a lay of any order does. But Opus Dei has a special charism in that way

Lay Franciscans carry the Fransciscan charism into their everyday lives

So for Dominicans, for Carmelites, etc.

Lay orders are a way of holiness, and everyone is called to a certain spirituality, and living that in the world

expressed through their work, their families, their entire lives

inillo, it is just a term that 's common in Spanish - Opus was formed in Spain, so they use it - to describe one type of "membership".

to learn A LOT more about the different charisms. Thanks so much for clearing that up. (I feel drawn to the "Way" described by St Josemaria)

Then DEFINITELY follow that and see where it leads!

that supernumeraries have to be albino and kill people but those really aren't spiritual differences, are they?