Pope allows bishops, with Vatican authorization, to dismiss superiors of autonomous monasteries
May 29, 2026
In a rescript dated March 25 and released on May 28, Pope Leo XIV granted the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life the authority to permit bishops to dismiss major superiors of autonomous monasteries from their religious communities.
The Code of Canon Law defines an autonomous monastery as one that “does not have another major superior besides its own moderator and is not associated to another institute of religious in such a way that the superior of the latter possesses true power over such a monastery.”
Autonomous monasteries are “entrusted to the special vigilance of the diocesan bishop” (Canon 615). Thus, the diocesan bishop presides at the superior’s election (Canon 625), conducts visitations (Canon 628), receives an annual account of the superior’s administration (Canon 637), and must approve a member’s release from temporary vows (Canon 688).
The Code establishes procedures for the dismissal of members of religious institutes for a range of acts, from murder, defection from the Catholic faith, and the sexual abuse of minors to “stubborn disobedience to the legitimate prescripts of superiors in a grave matter” (Canons 694-704). In 2022, Pope Francis granted major superiors of autonomous monasteries the authority to dismiss members of the community (Canon 699 §2); under the previous wording of Canon 699 §2, the local bishop, rather than the major superior, had the authority to dismiss members.
Thus, four years after local bishops lost their authority to dismiss members of autonomous monasteries, bishops have now gained the authority to dismiss the major superiors themselves, but only with Vatican authorization. The newly published rescript, or administrative act, notes that “Pope Francis had already expressed a favorable opinion” on the change.
An example of an autonomous monastery in the United States is the (now suppressed) monastery of Discalced Carmelites in Arlington, Texas. In 2018, the Carmelite nuns there unanimously sought approval to leave the oversight of the Carmelite friars to become an autonomous monastery under the oversight of the bishop of Fort Worth; in 2020, the Vatican approved the request.
During the dispute that led to the suppression of the monastery, the superior’s term in office expired; the Vatican appointed a new superior to whom the nuns refused admittance. Last December, the bishop of Fort Worth founded a new Carmelite monastery with six nuns.
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