New Order of Malta Government Shares Its Vision for the Future
Re-instated Grand Chancellor Albrecht von Boeselager outlines his priorities as Pope Francis appoints his Special Delegate to the ancient chivalric Order
Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu as his special delegate to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a position he will hold until the election of a new Grand Master as head of the Order.
In a Feb. 2 letter to the archbishop released Feb. 4, the Pope instructed Archbishop Becciu, who will continue in his current position as Substitute at the Secretariat of State, to “work closely” with Fra' Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein, currently running the Order ad interim. He wrote that both of them must work for “the greater good of the Order and for the reconciliation among all its components, religious and lay”, and assist in how to make an “appropriate renewal” of the Order’s Constitution.
In particular, the Pope said the delegate is to “take care of all matters relating to the spiritual and moral renewal of the Order,” and act as the Pope’s “exclusive spokesperson on all matters relating to relations between the Apostolic See and the Order.”
The Holy Father added that the delegate will therefore have “all the necessary powers to decide any issues that may arise concerning the implementation of the mandate entrusted” to him.
The news follows a Feb. 2 press conference in Rome in which Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager, who was at the center of a dispute between the Holy See and the previous Order of Malta government, outlined the Order’s priorities for the future, reaffirmed the organization’s loyalty to the Pope, and shared his interpretation of recent events.
Boeselager was reinstated last week as Grand Chancellor, its “number three”. He was joined at the event by the Order’s head of its humanitarian branch, Dominique de La Rochefoucauld, and its chief treasurer, Count János Esterházy de Galántha.
The 900 year old Order, a sovereign lay entity mainly led by professed Knights who take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, has traditionally carried out a dual mission of defending the faith and taking care of the poor and the sick. Its estimated 100,000 members, volunteers and medics operate in 120 countries.
The public wrangle between the Holy See and the Order was precipitated by Boeselager’s dismissal on Dec. 6 for ostensibly being held ultimately responsible for the distribution of contraceptives by the Order’s humanitarian arm, Malteser International, as well as other issues related to a “failure of trust”.
His sacking by the head of the Order, Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing, came after the Grand Chancellor twice refused to resign. Boeselager protested the firing principally on the grounds that his dismissal breached the Order’s Constitution, leading him to appeal to the Holy See which established a commission of enquiry — an act resisted by the Order as they said it interfered with its sovereign status. That investigation subsequently led to the Popeinstructing Fra’ Festing to resign Jan. 24, and reinstating Boeselager Jan. 28. The Order’s Sovereign Council ratified the actions.
Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu as his special delegate to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a position he will hold until the election of a new Grand Master as head of the Order.
In a Feb. 2 letter to the archbishop released Feb. 4, the Pope instructed Archbishop Becciu, who will continue in his current position as Substitute at the Secretariat of State, to “work closely” with Fra' Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein, currently running the Order ad interim. He wrote that both of them must work for “the greater good of the Order and for the reconciliation among all its components, religious and lay”, and assist in how to make an “appropriate renewal” of the Order’s Constitution.
In particular, the Pope said the delegate is to “take care of all matters relating to the spiritual and moral renewal of the Order,” and act as the Pope’s “exclusive spokesperson on all matters relating to relations between the Apostolic See and the Order.”
The Holy Father added that the delegate will therefore have “all the necessary powers to decide any issues that may arise concerning the implementation of the mandate entrusted” to him.
The news follows a Feb. 2 press conference in Rome in which Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager, who was at the center of a dispute between the Holy See and the previous Order of Malta government, outlined the Order’s priorities for the future, reaffirmed the organization’s loyalty to the Pope, and shared his interpretation of recent events.
Boeselager was reinstated last week as Grand Chancellor, its “number three”. He was joined at the event by the Order’s head of its humanitarian branch, Dominique de La Rochefoucauld, and its chief treasurer, Count János Esterházy de Galántha.
The 900 year old Order, a sovereign lay entity mainly led by professed Knights who take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, has traditionally carried out a dual mission of defending the faith and taking care of the poor and the sick. Its estimated 100,000 members, volunteers and medics operate in 120 countries.
The public wrangle between the Holy See and the Order was precipitated by Boeselager’s dismissal on Dec. 6 for ostensibly being held ultimately responsible for the distribution of contraceptives by the Order’s humanitarian arm, Malteser International, as well as other issues related to a “failure of trust”.
His sacking by the head of the Order, Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing, came after the Grand Chancellor twice refused to resign. Boeselager protested the firing principally on the grounds that his dismissal breached the Order’s Constitution, leading him to appeal to the Holy See which established a commission of enquiry — an act resisted by the Order as they said it interfered with its sovereign status. That investigation subsequently led to the Popeinstructing Fra’ Festing to resign Jan. 24, and reinstating Boeselager Jan. 28. The Order’s Sovereign Council ratified the actions.
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