Canon 549

1. A perpetually professed member shall not ask for the indult

to leave the order or congregation and to return to secular life

except for the most grave reasons. Such a member shall submit a

petition to the superior general, who shall forward it, along

with his or her votum and that of the council, to the competent

authority. 2. In orders, an indult of this kind is reserved to

the Apostolic See; but in congregations, in addition to the Apostolic See, it can be granted also by: (1) the patriarch with

respect to all members who have domicile within the territorial

boundaries of the Church over which he presides, after having

consulted, if it is a congregation of eparchial right, the eparchial bishop; (2) the eparchial bishop of the eparchy in which

the member is domiciled, if it is the case of a congregation of

eparchial right. 3. The indult of departure from the order or

congregation has the same canonical effects as stated in can.

493; but with respect to a member who is in a sacred order, can.

494 is to be applied in addition.