Cardinal Burke and Grand Master Festing defied wishes of Pope Francis by sacking Grand Chancellor

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Edward Pentin’s take.
ncregister.com/daily-news/disorder-in-the-order-of-malta
The Holy Father did not explicitly ask in the letter that Boeselager be dismissed, and contrary to reports, Cardinal Burke has insisted that he would never have told Boeselager that the Pope had specifically asked for his dismissal. Rather, inside sources are at pains to point out that the Knights’ leadership could not see how the matter could be otherwise rectified, when great scandal was involved and no one was taking responsibility for it. The leadership believed it was clear that Boeselager was principally responsible for what had happened, especially when, during the Dec. 6 meeting, he gave no reply when asked why he did not formally protest the accuracy of the commission report.
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As an observation, it is clearly evident that there is a pattern of behavior demonstrated by Cardinal Burke that has revealed a strong opposition to the papacy of Francis since its inception. At first, I tried to find a way to understand it in the framework of being constructive dissent., however, I never could escape an intuitive sense that Cardinal Burke simply could not, and would not, internally accept Francis as the true Bishop of Rome. Therefore, throughout the various controversies and conflicts between Cardinal Burke and Pope Francis, my sensibilities have lead me to to suspect malicious disloyalty as a motivating force which has as its end the undermining of the credibility of the authority of Pope Francis.

One need only review the great many references to Cardinal Burke, or the various direct articles and quotes ascribed to the Cardinal on this very site from the beginning of Francis’ papacy to find this pattern of rebellion and open defiance. It is disturbing, but I think if it has a redeeming quality in that it demonstrates the great patience and forbearance of our dear Holy Father. Although it has become tiresome, he allows it to persist. It makes me admire him all the more. There is virtue demonstrated by his restraint in exercising his power and authority.

I pray that somehow this never reaches a point where it scandalizes Holy Mother Church. These publicized conflicts undermine the mission of the church in the world relative to peace and harmony. Open public discord within the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church is not
a positive representation of the messages of the gospels.
 
unafraid said:
As an observation, it is clearly evident that there is a pattern of behavior demonstrated by Cardinal Burke that has revealed a strong opposition to the papacy of Francis since its inception. At first, I tried to find a way to understand it in the framework of being constructive dissent., however, I never could escape an intuitive sense that Cardinal Burke simply could not, and would not, internally accept Francis as the true Bishop of Rome. Therefore, throughout the various controversies and conflicts between Cardinal Burke and Pope Francis, my sensibilities have lead me to to suspect malicious disloyalty as a motivating force which has as its end the undermining of the credibility of the authority of Pope Francis.

One need only review the great many references to Cardinal Burke, or the various direct articles and quotes ascribed to the Cardinal on this very site from the beginning of Francis’ papacy to find this pattern of rebellion and open defiance. It is disturbing, but I think if it has a redeeming quality in that it demonstrates the great patience and forbearance of our dear Holy Father. Although it has become tiresome, he allows it to persist. It makes me admire him all the more. There is virtue demonstrated by his restraint in exercising his power and authority.

I pray that somehow this never reaches a point where it scandalizes Holy Mother Church. These publicized conflicts undermine the mission of the church in the world relative to peace and harmony. Open public discord within the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church is not
a positive representation of the messages of the gospels.
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Open rebellion? Wow. That is incredibly strong language. If you’re going to make such a gravely serious accusation against a prince of the Church, you’re going to have to back up your assertions with objective facts. Can you document the cases in which His Eminence has directly disobeyed the Pope? Disagreement isn’t disobedience.
It is well known that a number of Canadian bishops, some decades ago, openly signed a declaration declaring their support for the use contraceptives. They did so as an act of direct disobedience to Blessed Paul VI. This situation isn’t even remotely similar.
 
Reported. If this post was about the Pope, this wouldn’t have gotten through. Sick of the double standards here.
twf said:
Open rebellion? Wow. That is incredibly strong language. If you’re going to make such a gravely serious accusation against a prince of the Church, you’re going to have to back up your assertions with objective facts. Can you document the cases in which His Eminence has directly disobeyed the Pope? Disagreement isn’t disobedience.
It is well known that a number of Canadian bishops, some decades ago, openly signed a declaration declaring their support for the use contraceptives. They did so as an act of direct disobedience to Blessed Paul VI. This situation isn’t even remotely similar.
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Brendan said:
Actually, they are not. They are a sovereign Nation, just like the Vatican.
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Whatever you think. I do not think they are Protestant, which is the only other option as to not recognizing the authority of the Pope. I simply do not believe you.

Well, schizmatics also reject the authority of the Pope. But none of this applies. I simple will remain skeptical to your claim.
 
unafraid said:
As an observation, it is clearly evident that there is a pattern of behavior demonstrated by Cardinal Burke that has revealed a strong opposition to the papacy of Francis since its inception.

I pray that somehow this never reaches a point where it scandalizes Holy Mother Church. These publicized conflicts undermine the mission of the church in the world relative to peace and harmony. Open public discord within the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church is not
a positive representation of the messages of the gospels.
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In this case, Cardinal Burke is the representative of the Pope. I would not assume that he will fail to represent the Holy Father in this. The objection to the dismissal did come after the fact.
 
Moderator Notice

No personal attacks upon catholic clerics please
 
Latest from Christopher Lamb at the Tablet.
thetablet.co.uk/news/6582/0/vatican-insists-it-does-have-the-authority-to-investigate-order-of-malta
In a letter seen by The Tablet, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi [the head of the investigating commission] explained that the sacking of Albrecht von Boeselager as Grand Chancellor had taken place on the grounds of “refusal of obedience” as a religious and therefore comes under the remit of the Vatican.
…
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But the Grand Master of the Order, Matthew Festing, has said a papal investigation into the matter was unwarranted, while John Critien, the new Grand Chancellor, wrote to the Knights telling them they cannot collaborate with the process because of its “judicial irrelevance”.
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In a letter to Critien, however, Tomasi says this claim is inaccurate, has deeply disturbed certain members of the Order and is in direct contradiction with Francis’ wishes for unity and reconciliation among the Knights.
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“Regarding the dismissal of the Grand Chancellor of the Order, the issue is not the sovereignty of the Order, but the reasonable claim of questionable procedures and of lack of proven valid cause for the action taken as raised by the concerned party,” Tomasi writes, adding that the Pope and the Holy See never requested for Boeselager to be dismissed.
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maltatoday.com.mt/news/world/73277/pope_warned_knights_of_malta_not_to_sack_grand_chancellor_#.WHUFMmxMFcs
Letters seen by English Catholic news weekly The Tablet have revealed that Pope Francis specifically requested the Knights of Malta that no one be dismissed
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I am not totally sure the way they phrased this is accurate.

What happens in the long run to Critien if he continues to refuse to cooperate with the Vatican?

Wasn’t the condom distribution resolved in 2014? Why did this get drug up two years later?

This is becoming quite the show. 🍿
 
The Knights of Malta have indicated that they will not cooperate with the Vatican commission formed by Pope Francis to investigate a dispute within the order.

More…
 
Catholic_Press said:
The Knights of Malta have indicated that they will not cooperate with the Vatican commission formed by Pope Francis to investigate a dispute within the order.

More…
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Like I said… this is becoming quite a show!

How will this effect their members and donations?
 
Bishop Chaput’s quote was not in relationship to (name removed by moderator) but it sure seems to fit.
“Both Lepanto and Church Militant sow division wherever they tread. They do not seem to acknowledge the need to work with civic society and its representatives on a project like the World Meeting of Families. And we are not going to spend/waste time arguing with them. They are sincere, but also destructive. No one on our leadership team supports abortion or Planned Parenthood” – Abp. Charles Chaput
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(name removed by moderator) had the condom distribution thing resolved in 2014 but last November Lepanto brought it up to Burke.
 
robertmidwest said:
Like I said… this is becoming quite a show!
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Yes indeed. I wonder if there is the possibility that they will retain their sovereignty at the expense of their Catholic identity. They are claiming their right as recognized under international law (an odd move).

Historically, claiming allegiance to the Pope while openly defying him has never worked out well.
 
pnewton said:
Yes indeed. I wonder if there is the possibility that they will retain their sovereignty at the expense of their Catholic identity. They are claiming their right as recognized under international law (an odd move).

Historically, claiming allegiance to the Pope while openly defying him has never worked out well.
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Indeed. The last time there was a major confrontation with a Pope, it had a very unhappy ending for the Prince and it took years for the Order to recover.
 
Catholic_Press said:
The Knights of Malta have indicated that they will not cooperate with the Vatican commission formed by Pope Francis to investigate a dispute within the order.

More…
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How is this even possible. Well shame on them. I pray that their attitude turns around as this can serve to tarnish their image as an arm of the Church.
 
Here is a link to the Statement of the Grand Magistry dated Jan 10, 2017, which lays out in detail the reasoning behind the Sovereign Order of Malta’s refusal to cooperate with the Holy See’s fact-finding commission.
orderofmalta.int/2017/01/10/statement-grand-magistry/

The gist: Albrecht von Boeselager, a Knight of Obedience and Second Class member of the order, is not a Professed Religious (he’s married and has 4 children). His Promise of obedience is to his religious superiors in the order. It is not the same as the Vow of Obedience taken by the Knights of Justice (the First Class). So the Holy See doesn’t have legal jurisdiction in an appeal of Boeselager’s suspension.
 
If the organization is Catholic, how does a pope not have jurisdiction…? Or did a pope in the past give up such a right?
 
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