Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/764316
7 MATTHEW VELLA CIVIL war has broken out among the Knights of Malta, after Grand Master Fra Matthew Festing threatened disciplinary action against any member criticising his expulsion of senior Knight Albrecht Boeselager, the Grand Chancellor. The international Catholic weekly The Tablet said the move has sparked "open warfare" in- side the Church's oldest and most illustrious military order, founded in the 11th century dur- ing the crusades and which ruled over Malta between 1530 un- til their expulsion by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798. Boeselager, who as Grand Chancellor was the number three in the Order, told friends he had been accused of not fol- lowing the Church's teaching on the distribution of condoms in Africa. Festing denies this claim, saying Boeselager tried to conceal problems concerning his stewardship of the Order's charitable work. The Order's patron and Vati- can liaison, the arch-conserv- ative Cardinal Raymond Burke – a critic of Pope Francis – was present when Festing asked Bo- eselager to resign. Critics say Festing violated the Order's constitution by sus- pending him when Boeselager refused to resign. Now Fest- ing has written to his Knights, threatening them with discipli- nary action and that "members [who] continue to object, and who do not resign, could be submitted to disciplinary pro- cedures… For the good of the order, I ask you to no longer cir- culate opinions and concerns of this matter around the world." "For a member in obedience like Albrecht von Boeselager to refuse an order under the Prom- ise betrays a disregard for the Order's spirituality and laws, his Religious Superior and Sover- eign, and for the Holy Father's representative to the Order who was supporting the Grand Mas- ter in his decision." The Maltese Knight, Fra John Critien, was made Grand Chan- cellor in Boeselager's stead. Critien was admitted into the Grand Priory in 1983, and in 1993 took perpetual religious vows as Knight of Justice. He was member of the Sovereign Council of the Order between 1994 and 1999 and was elected again in 2014. In July 2000 Cri- tien was appointed Knight Resi- dent at Fort St Angelo, Malta, a position he currently holds. The Knights operate a global charity in 120 countries, em- ploying some 25,000 doctors and nurses. As a sovereign sub- ject of international law, it has diplomatic relations with 102 countries and observer status at the United Nations. Boeselager doubled as foreign minister and interior minister in the Order. Festing is referred to as "His Most Eminent Highness" and is based at Palazzo Malta in Rome, where his rank is almost equiva- lent to that of a cardinal. The Knights who lead the order have to be male, of noble birth, and make vows of celibacy, poverty and chastity. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2016 News Earn double Bonus Points Discount Vouchers one-time subscription Bonus Points one-time subscription PAVI CREDIT CARD I BELIEVE IN MORE POINTS MORE REWARDS * if I pay off my account in full by the specified payment due date each month. ** I can use my PAVI Credit Card outside the PAVI Shopping Complex or the PAMA Shopping Village against a ¤2.50 fee for each transaction. Terms and conditions apply. All credit cards are subject to the Bank's lending criteria. The Bank reserves the right to amend or withdraw the product from the market at any time, at its sole and absolute discretion and without any prior notice. Banif Bank (Malta) plc is a credit institution licensed to undertake the business of banking by the MFSA in terms of the Banking Act 1994 and is a member of the Depositor Compensation Scheme established under the Depositor Compensation Scheme Regulations (Legal notice 383 of 2015). Registered in Malta C41030 - 203, Level 2, Rue D'Argens, Gzira, GZR 1368, Malta. f l Banif Bank (Malta) plc IF I SHOP AT PAVI OR PAMA, THEN THIS CARD IS FOR ME! • standard credit limit of ¤500; • interest free period of up to 51 days*; • automatic monthly repayments; • no annual fee; • can be used within the PAVI Shopping Complex & the PAMA Shopping Village at no cost**; and • double Bonus Points on purchases paid with my card at PAVI & PAMA supermarkets. St Julian's home design for a new façade was also deemed to respect the architectural character of the area. Din l-Art Helwa is objecting and called on the PA to include Birkirkara Hill in the UCA to protect these buildings "from the aggressive grip of developers who want to tear down historical townhouses to replace them with smaller apartments." DLH said the building was one of the first to be built in the area. The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has not been consulted over the application. A final decision will be taken by the PA on 10 January. BY JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Malta knights 'at war' over Chancellor's sacking Left: Albrecht Boeselager was sacked by Grand Master Matthew Festing (second) who appointed Maltese knight John Critien as Grand Chancellor in his stead