This is the letter Pope Francis sent to his third in command, a 'Special Delegate' to the Order of Malta. In it, he says that from now on Angelo Becciu is the only person who can speak on behalf of the pope before the Order.
He does not mention it explicitly, but it does mean that the cardinal patron of the Order, Raymond Burke, does not represent him on this stage.
Angelo Becciu will work with the Lieutenant ad interim, Frey Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein, the highest authority of the Order, until a new Grand Master is appointed.
Together, they will prepare the next Extraordinary Chapter of the Order, and 'will decide the modalities of a study to update the Constitution of the Order and its regulation.â?
The pope asks him to work 'for reconciliation among all its members, religious and laity' and to dedicate himself to 'the spiritual and moral renewal of the Order, especially of religious members.'
The pope's representative will not make decisions on the diplomatic relations of the Order of Malta or its projects.
The crisis began because one of the members of the governing council was expelled on the alleged support of the pope. Since it was not true, Pope Francis asked the Grand Master to resign so that the Order could resume peacefully. The arrival of the pope's representative should be a step in that direction.
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