The Church has some basic legislation in place here. First, religious serve under a contract:
58. Without infringing on the right of arranging situations differently or of changing them in a way which is more in accord with the urgent needs of renewal of institutes, it seems opportune to determine in advance and in detail what works and especially what offices are to be entrusted to individual religious, for whom a written convention may be deemed necessary, as, for example, for pastors (cf. Ecclesiae Sanctae I, 33), deans, episcopal vicars, assistants for catholic action groups, secretaries of pastoral action, diocesan directors, Catholic university teachers, professional catechists, directors of Catholic colleges, etc. in view both of the stability of those in office and of the devolution of goods in case the undertaking should be suppressed.
When a time of service is ended, there is a matter of communication between the religious superior and the pastor (or other supervisor). Either can remove a religious man or woman from service. Notice is to be given. But reasons or justifications are not required.
If a religious is to be removed from an office entrusted to him, the following dispositions should be recalled: “Any religious member of an institute may for a grave cause be removed from an office entrusted to him either at the wish of the authority who entrusted him with the office, who should inform the religious superior, or by the superior, who should inform the authority who entrusted the office; this by equal right, the consent of the other party being required in neither case. Neither party is required to reveal to the other the reasons for his action, much less to justify them. There remains the right to appeal in devolutivo to the Apostolic See” (ES I, 92).
Thoughts or comments? You can check the full document online here.
Catholic Sensibility 