Pope Francis takes over Knights of Malta after condom dispute

http://www.sltrib.com/home/4866924-155/pope-francis-takes-over-knights-of

Vatican City • Pope Francis seized control Wednesday of the Knights of Malta, an action that amounts to one sovereign country annexing another, if on a small scale.


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What's behind the dispute?

The headline-grabbing issue that prompted the takeover involves condoms: Several years ago, the order learned that its charity branch Malteser International was involved in aid programs that were distributing thousands of condoms in Myanmar. Church teaching forbids artificial contraception.

The order's health minister at the time, Albrecht von Boeselager, stopped two of the three programs immediately and the third after the Vatican intervened. Boeselager went on to be elected grand chancellor — essentially the order's interior and foreign minister.

This was raised when the Knights' leader, Matthew Festing, asked Boeselager to resign Dec. 6. After Boeselager refused, Festing opened a disciplinary process against him and suspended him. The two were known to not get along, and the order, like many private clubs, has factions along national and ideological lines.