Canon 412

1. All religious are subject to the Roman Pontiff as their

supreme superior, being bound by the obligation to obey him also

in virtue of the vow of obedience. 2. In order to provide

better for the welfare of institutes and for the needs of the

apostolate, the Roman Pontiff can by reason of his primacy over

the universal Church, contemplating the common welfare, exempt

institutes of consecrated life from the rule of the eparchial

bishop and subject them to him alone or to another ecclesiastical

authority.