Knights of Malta appoint interim leader, reinstate Grand Chancellor [CNA]

[CNA_News]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/i...inguzzi_via_Flickr_CC_BY_SA_20_CNA.jpgVatican City, Jan 28, 2017 / 09:46 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After Pope Francis asked Knights of Malta Grand Master Matthew Festing to resign earlier this week, the Order has accepted the resignation, named an interim leader and reinstated their former Grand Chancellor, Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager.

According to a Jan. 28 press release from the Order of Malta, their Sovereign Council in an extraordinary meeting held Saturday to vote on Festing’s request to step down from office, “accepted his resignation” and informed Pope Francis of the decision.

They also announced the appointment of Grand Commander Fra’ Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein as the new “Lieutenant ad interim” until a new Grand Master is elected.

Along with Festing’s resignation, the decision to annul the decrees establishing “the disciplinary procedures” recently taken against former Grand Chancellor Albrecht Boeselager as well as “the suspension of his membership in the Order” was announced.

With the decision, “Albrecht Boeselager resumes his office as Grand Chancellor immediately,” the statement read.

According to media reports, the decision to reinstate Boeselager, who was dismissed in December after a condom scandal, was requested by the Pope himself when he met with Festing earlier this week to ask for his resignation.

In their statement, the Order of Malta said Pope Francis had written a Jan. 27 letter to Rumerstein and members of the Sovereign Council reaffirming “the special relationship” between the Order and the Apostolic See.

The Pope, it read, also affirmed that Rumerstein will assume the full responsibilities of Grand Master, “in particular regarding relationships with other States,” until a new leader is elected.

In his letter, Pope Francis made a point to emphasize that his special delegate, who has yet to be appointed, will be carrying out his role on “the spiritual renewal of the Order, specifically of its professed members.”

The Order ensured their “full collaboration” with the papal delegate, “whom the Holy Father intends to appoint” in due time.

In addition to announcing the Rumerstein’s nomination and Boeselager’s reinstatement, the Order voiced their gratitude to Pope Francis and to Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin “for their interest in and care for the Order.”

“The Order appreciates that the Holy Father’s decisions were all carefully taken with regard to and respect for the Order, with a determination to strengthen its sovereignty,” the statement read.

Now that Rumerstein has officially taken charge of the Order, he will soon convoke “the Council Complete of State” to elect a new Grand Master.

The announcement comes after a Jan. 24 meeting between Pope Francis and Festing, during which the Pope asked the former Grand Master to tenure his resignation, to which Festing said yes.

Festing’s agreement to resign follows a conflict between the Order of Malta and the Holy See over Boeselager’s dismissal in December 2016.

Among the reported reasons for the dismissal was that under Boeselager’s watch, the Order’s charity branch had inadvertently been involved in distributing condoms in Burma to prevent the spread of HIV.

However, a senior official of the Order has said that while the incident was a contributing factor in Boeselager’s resignation, the reasons – while confidential – are much broader.

The Holy See announced Dec. 22, shortly after Boeselager’s dismissal, that Pope Francis had formed a group to investigate the matter.

Members of the group include Archbishop Silvestro Tomasi, Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda S.J., Belgian lawyer Mr. Jacques de Liedekerke, Mr. Marc Odendall and Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui.

On Jan. 10 the Knights issued a statement defending their decision, calling Boeselager’s dismissal “an internal act of governance,” making the group established by the Holy See to investigate the decision “legally irrelevant” given the Order’s sovereignty.

The Holy See, in turn, reiterated Jan. 17 its confidence in its investigative group and indicated it was awaiting the group’s report “in order to adopt, within its area of competence, the most fitting decisions for the good of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and of the Church.”

The Order of Malta is a chivalric order which was founded in 1099, originally to provide protection and medical care to Holy Land pilgrims. It now performs humanitarian work throughout the world, and its two principle missions are defense of the faith and care for the poor.

It maintains sovereignty, holding diplomatic relations with more than 100 states and United Nations permanent observer status.

Festing had been elected Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta March 11, 2008, however, his resignation cuts short the lifetime appointment.

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Full article…

 

[Culurecatholic]

This whole Knight of Malta shows how ignorant and stupid “traditional” Catholics are (and I’m a secular “traditional Catholic” - I like the traditional things; that’s why I’m a cultural Catholic). The guy who didn’t know the sub-group under him distributing condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS/HIV did nothing wrong. Even if he knew, he did nothing wrong. Catholicism says artificial contraceptives to prevent pregnancy are wrong. Fine. But this wasn’t about that. It was about distributing condoms to prevent the spread of a disease. Even Catholicism states that the use of contraceptives for another reason is okee-dokey. For example, women can use the pill to regulate their periods. Preventing pregnancy is “secondary” to Catholic belief and practice.

So what did this guy do wrong? He didn’t know that this sub-group was giving condoms to prevent disease prevention. When he did, he stopped it (risking lives). And the traditionalists still weren’t satiated. They wanted blood. How Christian. The Pope said Nope. And the traditionalists went wild over him. The only ones who violated Catholic belief and practices were the traditionalists. Excommunicate the lot of them for heresy. There are enough “Catholic” groups for them to join. SSPX; SSPV, etc.

 

[Cathoholic]

Culurecatholic. You said (emphasis mine) . . .

Catholicism says artificial contraceptives to prevent pregnancy are wrong. Fine. But this wasn’t about that. It was about distributing condoms to prevent the spread of a disease.

I think this is a low-ball view of humanity masquerading as “disease prevention”.

Don’t get me wrong Culurecatholic, I am NOT saying YOU have this low-ball view of humanity.

I am saying this “IDEA” is propagated implicitly in the statement you’ve been taught.

WHY do you think condoms “prevent the spread of a disease” Culurecatholic?

(Hopefully not because of studies that are set up flawed from the beginning by looking at incorrect control groups.)

You understand EVEN with “perfect” useage condoms only “work” 98% of the time. Right?

If body fluids that can cause pregnancy can make its way to another person with “perfect” condom usage, WHY do you think microorganisms such as miniscule viruses and larger bacteria cannot?

What kind of “disease prevention” is that?

And when you honestly factor in all the PROBLEMS associated with condom usage (here is a list of a FOURTEEN COMMON problems with condom usage), WHY do you think of condoms as a disease “preventative”?

If condoms promote promiscuity, and disease risk rises, and you compare the disease rates to someone who is in for example, a monogamous marriage, WHO do you think is going to have the “lower” disease rate?

If you REALLY want to promote fighting disease, let’s use all our rational knowledge and fight disease. Let’s fight disease in an effective manner.

It’s important to avoid the land of make-believe that the secularists often try to instill in our thinking.

God bless.

Cathoholic

 

[SecretCatholic]

This whole Knight of Malta shows how ignorant and stupid “traditional” Catholics are (and I’m a secular “traditional Catholic” - I like the traditional things; that’s why I’m a cultural Catholic). The guy who didn’t know the sub-group under him distributing condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS/HIV did nothing wrong. Even if he knew, he did nothing wrong. Catholicism says artificial contraceptives to prevent pregnancy are wrong. Fine. But this wasn’t about that. It was about distributing condoms to prevent the spread of a disease. Even Catholicism states that the use of contraceptives for another reason is okee-dokey. For example, women can use the pill to regulate their periods. Preventing pregnancy is “secondary” to Catholic belief and practice.

So what did this guy do wrong? He didn’t know that this sub-group was giving condoms to prevent disease prevention. When he did, he stopped it (risking lives). And the traditionalists still weren’t satiated. They wanted blood. How Christian. The Pope said Nope. And the traditionalists went wild over him. The only ones who violated Catholic belief and practices were the traditionalists. Excommunicate the lot of them for heresy. There are enough “Catholic” groups for them to join. SSPX; SSPV, etc.

Culurecatholic, you are wrong. It’s a sin to use contraception, including condoms. Yes, there have been some valid remarks about the use of condoms subjectively being acceptable- such as the man sleeping with the prostitute using a condom or using when when one of the people have HIV. But this is also like saying that having sex only in a serious relationship when not married is better than having one-night stands. That is true. Subjectively it is better. But the Church is all about Objective truth and cannot objectively be permissive of one-night stands or contraceptives.

As an aside- I propose to you that your stance on Catholicism makes little sense. While tradition and culture are relatively good things, they are not the heart or “real stuff” of Catholicism, and frankly Catholicism doesn’t make much sense at all when viewed this way. In fact, I like the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox liturgies far more than our ordinary liturgy, and yet I would be betraying the “real stuff” of Catholicism if I stopped going to Catholic mass and started going to any other Church mass or service because of its more “traditional” presentation.

God is calling you to be Catholic. I suggest you either go all the way in or stop deluding yourself with these “ancient myths and superstitions” and just be a consistent atheist.

 

[Culurecatholic]

Cathoholic, did I say that the use of condoms or any other barriers prevents the transmission of STD 100% of the time? No, I didn’t. But it does most of the time. People are going to have sex. Get over it. Should they when it’s risky? Yes, they do. Get over it. Should we tell them not to? Of course. Some listen. Many, if not most, don’t. Get over it. If out of 100 people using condoms will save the lives of 80 people, everyone should be for it. According to Catholicism, the use of contraceptives to prevent pregnancy is wrong. Fine. That’s your belief. Tell Catholics to follow it. But according to Catholicism, the use of contraceptives for other purposes is not. Pope Francis was right. He was following Catholic teaching. The head of the Knight of Malta was not.

 

[Cathoholic]

I am not talking “According to Catholicism” (here) Culurecatholic.

I am talking “according to rational common sense”.

And your response for people being victimized by bogus studies, phony disease “prevention”, and mocking the Catholic religion is . . .

Get over it.

“Let the condom distribution begin!”

At least in SOME cases .(In your world view)

That’s the BEST you have to offer?

And I am saying this lacks rational analysis of ALL the facts, and the application of such. It ignores common sense. These ideas BLIND THEMSELVES to the numbers right in front of them.

Hand them the proverbial car keys while telling them not to drive?

That is in essence of what your ideas are saying.

That sounds like “an enabler” motif and NOT a rational solution.

I said,

I think this is a low-ball view of humanity masquerading as “disease prevention”.

I said that because the argument in the condom idea arena sooner or later gets down to rational human beings with self control being labeled as . . . . “irrational” and supposedly lacking “self-control”.

Their sex drives just sweeps them off of their feet. They CAN’T control themselves (in your world view).

Tell that to your spouse the next time just before you leave town for a Conference for a week.

I was kind of hoping you did not imbibe this phony view of mankind.

But now your statements suggest you DO have this low-ball view.

Now I’d like to see you affirm a rational view and condenm condom usage.

 

[Cathoholic]

Cathoholic, did I say that the use of condoms or any other barriers prevents the transmission of STD 100% of the time? No, I didn’t.

This is nonsense Culurecatholic.

In trying to “pin” a strawman on MY argument, you COMMIT that error yourself.

You are committing the fallacy of equivocation, and I am not buying it.

And I think you NEED to embrace fallacious logic because the arguments you have swallowed cannot stand upon rational critical review.

 

[JPUSC]

“…On the ‘lesser evil,’ avoiding pregnancy, we are speaking in terms of the conflict between the fifth and sixth commandment. Paul VI, a great man, in a difficult situation in Africa, permitted nuns to use contraceptives in cases of rape…avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil. In certain cases, as in this one, or in the one I mentioned of Blessed Paul VI, it was clear.”

Pope Francis

catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-of-pope-francis-in-flight-interview-from-mexico-to-rome-85821

"[Pope Francis] then proffered the view that the evil of contraception was not of the same magnitude as the evil of abortion. Clearly, this was sound moral reasoning. The evil of stealing a few pesos cannot be compared with the evil of plunder. The Pope was in no way changing church teaching on the unacceptability of artificial means of contraception.

He however usefully called attention to two important moral precepts: First, there may be circumstances that invite a re-evaluation of the judgment on artificial means of contraception; second, the prodding of conscience should always be heeded, as long as every effort is made to form conscience properly.

These positions are not in any way new. They have always formed part of Catholic moral theology and belong to the treasury of the Church’s heritage in health-care ethics.

Once more, the Pope has shown his sensitivity to complex human situations, allowed the world see the merciful face of the Church — the sacrament of a Merciful Lord — as he has remained the faithful steward of the message of the Gospel."

From the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, February 20, 2016

cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=73193

 

[Culurecatholic]

Cathoholic, I am stating a rational view. People are going to have sex. No, they shouldn’t when it threatens them. But they do. That’s a fact. We can try to tell them not to (and I do), but they will. That’s a fact. Using condoms to prevent the spread of diseases, including those that are deadly, is the rational thing to do.

People may decide to put a gun to their head with six bullets. We tell them not to. They’ll still do it. One shot and - BLAM! - they’re dead. They’re going to do it no matter how many times we tell them not to. But we convince them to remove five bullets and spin the chamber and then pull the trigger. That’s the best we can do. You oppose that?

 

[Cathoholic]

Culurecatholic. You said.

Using condoms to prevent the spread of diseases, including those that are deadly, is the rational thing to do.

No Culurecatholic.

It’s the irrational thing to do. Its irrational because it doesn’t work. Condoms are designed to promote “consequence-less” recreational “relations”.

In using them as such, they promote the spread of communicable diseases.

Culurecatholic. You also said.

But we convince them to remove five bullets and spin the chamber and then pull the trigger. That’s the best we can do. You oppose that?

The problem with this Culurecatholic, is there are more than the two choices you lay out.

I not only don’t give to them any of the allegorical bullets, I don’t even give them the instrument in such a situation.

 

[mikeeh]

This whole Knight of Malta shows how ignorant and stupid “traditional” Catholics are (and I’m a secular “traditional Catholic” - I like the traditional things; that’s why I’m a cultural Catholic). The guy who didn’t know the sub-group under him distributing condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS/HIV did nothing wrong. Even if he knew, he did nothing wrong. Catholicism says artificial contraceptives to prevent pregnancy are wrong. Fine. But this wasn’t about that. It was about distributing condoms to prevent the spread of a disease. Even Catholicism states that the use of contraceptives for another reason is okee-dokey. For example, women can use the pill to regulate their periods. Preventing pregnancy is “secondary” to Catholic belief and practice.

So what did this guy do wrong? He didn’t know that this sub-group was giving condoms to prevent disease prevention. When he did, he stopped it (risking lives). And the traditionalists still weren’t satiated. They wanted blood. How Christian. The Pope said Nope. And the traditionalists went wild over him. The only ones who violated Catholic belief and practices were the traditionalists. Excommunicate the lot of them for heresy. There are enough “Catholic” groups for them to join. SSPX; SSPV, etc.

It’s not about condoms. That was just the excuse the order gave for demanding the resignation of Boeselager. We may never know why he was really fired in the first place. Most organizations have infighting among their members. The situation turned when they refused to cooperate with the Vatican. Here’s what we know:

-Boeselager oversaw three programs which were aiding sex slaves in Myanmar.
-The programs started distributing condoms to the sex slaves to prevent the spread of STDs.
-After finding out Boeselgar stopped two of the programs, but since the other was the only aid the victims were getting he allowed it to continue until the issue could be resolved.
-Several years later the order demanded his resignation.
-Boeselager refused and the Grand Master of the order pulled rank and reminded Boeselager he has sworn loyalty to the Grand Master.
-The Vatican got news of this and was curious as to why 1 of the 3 top leaders of this order was being forced to resign over an issue several years ago.
-The order sent a letter to the Pope basically telling him to mine his own business because it is a governmental issue not an ecclesiastical issue.
-The Pope reacted by sending a group to investigate what is going on.
-The investigating group was met with enmity.
-The investigating group concluded the order needed to be put in its place by the Pope.
-The Pope called upon the Grand Master and told him to resign.
-The Grand Master, either being loyal to Church or knowing that the whole order could be excommunicated, handed in his resignation.

Basically the Pope had to remind the order their sovereignty is only honorary. As an order they are loyal to the Church, and as a political entity they are only equivalent to the Red Cross or Olympic Committee. If this would have escalated no state/nation or any other international organization would have sided with the order against the Vatican. Not even the United Nations.

 

[pnewton]

It’s not about condoms. That was just the excuse the order gave for demanding the resignation of Boeselager. We may never know why he was really fired in the first place. .

Truer words never spoken. While I appreciate the detailed information, it is this first part that most needs remembering. We do not know and will never know enough for an informed judgement of these actions.

 

[Ubenedictus]

Truer words never spoken. While I appreciate the detailed information, it is this first part that most needs remembering. We do not know and will never know enough for an informed judgement of these actions.

I think this is the meat of the whole issue, we may never know the full story.

 

[EIF5A]

Basically the Pope had to remind the order their sovereignty is only honorary. As an order they are loyal to the Church, and as a political entity they are only equivalent to the Red Cross or Olympic Committee. If this would have escalated no state/nation or any other international organization would have sided with the order against the Vatican. Not even the United Nations.

Ah, ok. I was wondering what all the fuss was about being “sovereign”. If they’re Catholic, then they’re bound to obedience, right…?

 

[mrdrifter]

This whole Knight of Malta shows how ignorant and stupid “traditional” Catholics are…

I see you are a new member of this forum. Welcome! You’ll fit right in.