Priests who belong to religious orders or religious congregations can be consecrated as bishops.
Under the old code of Canon Law they were dispensed from their vows and no longer members of their religious communities. They were allowed to use the initials of their religious communities after their names, but did not have a vote in those communities nor did they continue to be members of the community.
In the revised Canon Law of 1983 any priest who belongs to a religious order or a religious congregation remains a member of his community. For example, Cardinal Sean is still a Capuchin Friar. When he walks into his communit house he is not refered to as Cardinal, but as Brother Sean, as are all Capuchin Friars.
Bishops who are religious may continue to wear the habit of their community when not celebrating liturgy. They usually wear the pectoral cross over their habit. This is more common among friars and monks, because they have habits. Most clerical institutes do not have habits. Communities of Brothers (Monks and Friars) usually have a habit.
In addition, religious priests who become bishops may only keep the salary they receive for serving as a bishop or gifts that they receive as a bishop. When they retire, they return to their community. Any money they have they must surrender to their community, as well as any personal property that they acquire while they are bishops.
Nonetheless, the diocese must make provisions for the retirement of its bishop. A religious bishop may choose not to live with his community. He may choose to live exclaustrated (outside the cloister).
While a religious bishop remains a full member of his community, he has a vote, but may not hold any office in his community. When he rejoins his community he may not hold office, because it poses a conflict of interests. Religious communities, especially religious orders, have Pontifical Right. This means that they are exempt from the intervention of the bishops in their affairs. The only bishop who may intervene in the internal affairs of a religious order of friars or monks is the Pope.
These rules are not retroactive. They only apply to religious priests who were ordained bishops after 1983. Bishop ordained before 1983 are all secular bishops, even if they were once religious. They were secularized when they were consecrated. This is no longer the case. Therefore, if these bishops were to be elected pope, the Pope would be a religious Pope, not a secular Pope.
There are many religious bishops in the USA. The smallest group are the Franciscans, because of their internal policy to reduce the number of men that they ordain in keeping with the mind of Francis. But there are many bishops who belong to clerical congregations such as the Oblates of Mary Immaculate or the Jesuits.
Fraternally,
JR
