By Junno Arocho Esteves
ROME (CNS) —
The newly reinstated grand chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
said the crisis that led to the resignation of the order’s grand master will remain a footnote
in history that pales in comparison to the suffering of refugees and the poor.
Speaking at
a news conference
Feb. 2, Albrecht von Boeselager, grand chancellor of the order, said that while
recent events have shown that “we are not immune to crisis in our
government,” the Knights of Malta will continue placing their priority on
helping migrants, the poor and the marginalized.
“This crisis will be a
marginal event in history. What is more at stake is the crisis we are facing in
the world and the misery and the plea of the millions of people (who are)
homeless, migrating and fleeing,” he said.
The German
nobleman’s removal by former Grand Master Fra Matthew Festing was at the heart
of a public dispute between the order and the Vatican.
In a
statement in December, the order said Boeselager was removed “due to
severe problems which occurred during Boeselager’s tenure as grand hospitaller
of the Order of Malta and his subsequent concealment of these problems from the
Grand Magistry.”
Numerous
media reports have said the problems specifically regarded the distribution of
condoms by aid agencies working with Malteser International, the order’s
humanitarian relief agency.
Although
the order claimed Boeselager’s ousting was an act of sovereignty, its constitution
states that members take a vow of obedience to the pope who yields authority
over the laity and clergy “as well as immediate authority over religious
orders.”
After weeks of very public
tensions with the Vatican, Festing offered his resignation Jan. 24 at the
behest of Pope Francis, who had established a commission to investigate his removal of von
Boeselager.
Von
Boeselager was subsequently reinstated as grand chancellor of the order and the
pope said he would appoint a special delegate who will “specifically take care of the
spiritual and moral renewal of the order,” especially the 50 or so members
who have taken religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
The grand chancellor said he
was grateful for the pope’s help in resolving the crisis.
“Without this trustful
relationship between the order and the pope, the order cannot function. So, the
concern of the Holy
Father was to reestablish the trustful relationship between order and the Holy
See,” he said.
Dominique de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel,
current grand hospitaller of the order, said the crisis “has been troublesome for our
donors,” many of whom “decided maybe not to help us anymore because
they thought we were fighting against the pope, which is not true.”
“So
now we have to restore this trust,” he said.
Von
Boeselager also emphasized the order’s
priorities of providing humanitarian relief, encouraging dialogue and assisting
migrants and refugees.
“We firmly condemn
discriminatory policies” against migrants and refugees, he said, “and
call for a strong reaffirmation of humanitarian laws. We are alarmed and
concerned by the proliferation of discriminatory positions toward immigrants
based on their national origins.”
When asked if he was referring
to the recent executive order on refugees by U.S. President Donald Trump, von
Boeselager said that he “made a statement of principle” and that
there are “many countries, many institutions that are violating
humanitarian principles.”
“I am
not singling out anyone. It’s a principle of the Order of Malta,” he said.
“People are drowning in
the Mediterranean; tortured on their way. Please don’t forget to report about
these cases and fight the arrogant ignorance regarding this crisis,” von
Boeselager said.
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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.
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