Superior general (Christianity)
A superior 'general or general superior' is the leader or head of an 'order' of religious persons or, in other words, of a 'religious institute' in the Catholic Church, and in some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme 'executive' authority in the religious community, subject only to the Pope in the case of Catholic orders, while the general chapter has 'legislative' authority. Many Catholic superiors general are elected by their order's membership, and are based in Rome, and thus facilitate their order's engagement with other elements of church leadership.
History
The figure of superior general first emerged in the thirteenth century with the development of the centralized government of the Mendicant Orders. The Friars Minor organized their members under a Minister General, and the Order of Preachers elected a Master of the Order.Due to restrictions on women religious, especially the obligation of cloister for nuns, congregations of women were not initially able to organize with their own superior general. In 1609, Mary Ward was the superior general of a religious institute that imitated the Jesuit model, but the institute was not accepted by the Roman Curia. It was not until the nineteenth century that religious congregations of women were able to organize with a general superior, and the role is now very common. Mother Teresa, for example, was the superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, known by the honorific title of Mother. Following the Second Vatican Council, women religious formed the International Union of superiors general.
Canon law
In canon law, the generic term supreme moderator is used instead of superior general. Many orders and congregations use their own title for the person who holds this position. Some examples, in addition to those named above, are:- Abbot general or Abbess general
- Custos-general
- Mother general
- Mother Superior
- Prior general
- Rector general
- General Director or general Directress