On February 4th of this year, Pope Francis named a top Vatican Archbishop, Archbishop Angelo Becciu (the No 3 official in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State), as his special delegate to the Knights of Malta and given him “all necessary powers” to help the sovereign religious order reform its constitutions and elect a new leader.
In the letter of appointment, Pope Francis said that Archbishop Becciu would act as his “exclusive spokesman” with the order.
On Saturday, April 29, the Knight elected Fra' Giacomo dalla Torre, an Italian, to be its interim leader for the next year. Giacomo dalla Torre's title will be Lieutenant of the Grand Master. The Office of Grand Master is a lifelong position according to the present Constitution of the Order. Whether that remains the case after the reforms are presented and approved by the Vatican remains to be seen.
What is clear is the fact that Cardinal Burke, who technically remains as Papal Envoy to the Order, has been completely marginalized and rendered an insignificant player in the affairs of the moment.
A video taken and distributed by the Reuters News Organization on Saturday showed a procession into the election preceded by Archbishop Becciu, followed by the Knights fully robed in their traditional vestiture.
Cardinal Burke was nowhere to be seen.
One can only wonder whether or not His Eminence will continue as Papal Envoy and whether he will have any significant role to play in that or any other future appointment during this Pontificate.
Certainly, the next year will be an historic moment in the life of this ancient Catholic Order which, of late, has been a source of both embarrassment and tension to the Holy Father.
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