GENERAL (religious). – He is the supreme head of a religious Order or Congregation: the first of the so-called major superiors. In the CIC he is referred to as *moderator supremus* (can. 488 n. 8). It was the Franciscan movement that organized religious life into a centralized system, subject to the authority of a supreme superior, whom St. Francis called “minister general.” All religious institutes founded subsequently retained this conception, though sometimes changing the name: *magister generalis* (Dominicans), *prior generalis* (Carmelites), *praepositus generalis* (Jesuits), *magister generalis* (Crosiers), *rector maior* (Salesians), etc. Even the Benedictines, who have and always have had a cenobitic form, have an *abbas primas* and *superiores generales* of monastic Congregations with different titles (*abbas generalis praeses*, *arcaibas*), though these are more representative than real authorities (CIC, can. 501 § 3).
By common law, no general can be elected for life (can. 505), but at most for twelve years, unless an apostolic indult is granted, and no one can be elected before the age of forty, of which at least ten must be of religious profession, reckoned from the first profession. Moreover, he must be born of legitimate marriage (can. 504) and must govern with the assistance of a certain number of religious as his counsellors (can. 516 § 1). He does, however, possess true jurisdiction over the entire institute (can. 502), which he may and must canonically visit (can. 511), with the obligation to report thereon to the Holy See (can. 510). This power is immediate even over individual religious, independently of the subject superiors, and may extend to expulsion, although in this regard the power is much limited by cann. 647 § 1 n. 4, 649–50, 651 § 1 and 666. In general, the authority of the general is rather restricted in institutes of diocesan right; it is broader in those of pontifical right. In clerical exempt institutes, moreover, the general possesses true ecclesiastical jurisdiction, both in the internal and external forum (can. 501 § 1), thereby being numbered among the Ordinaries (q.v.; can. 198 § 1) and among prelates *stricto sensu* (can. 110). They are to be summoned to an ecumenical council, where they have a deliberative vote together with the *abbas primas* and the superior abbots of monastic Congregations. They take part in the Papal Chapel: the *abbas nullius* of Montecassino and diocesan *abbates nullius*, the *abbates generales* of the Canons Regular and of the monastic Orders, the abbot of S. Girolamo de Urbe, and the generals and vicars general of the mendicant Orders.
In female Congregations, too, the supreme moderator is called *superiora generalis* or *mater generalis* and has dominative power over the entire institute according to the constitutions. To her are equated the *abbatissa* (q.v.) and the prioress of nuns; both indeed seem to be included in the CIC under the name of major superiors (cf. cann. 490, 504).