Order Of Malta Deemed A Papal Inquiry Irrelevant

Nick Squires writing for The Telegraph  from Rome entitled his article that was published on January 11, 2017, Order of Malta snubs Pope Francis, dismissing as 'irrevelant' a Vatican inquiry into the sacking of a senior Knight.  In it, he said that the Cambridge-educated Matthew Festing, "whose full title is His Most Eminent Highness, Prince and Grand Master, has refused to cooperate with [a papal inquiry into the dismissal of a senior knight], saying it has no authority and is legally 'irrelevant'." [1]

"In an unusual snub to the Holy Father, the Grand Master put out a statement in which he argued that the Vatican had no jurisdiction over the Order, also known as the Knights of Malta, because it is a sovereign entity." [2]

This blogger considers this to be much more than a snub. The Knights of Malta, "once a rival to the equally powerful and secretive Knights Templar," [3] has definitively and effectively set a precedent that this pope can not only be deemed irrelevant, but that his action taken, at least in this case has, and arguably in some of his other actions taken and others that he plans to take have, no legitimacy whatsoever.

What will the pope do?  Will he dispatch his Swiss guards to Via Condotti, 68, in Rome, Italy, [4] to arrest His Most Eminent Highness, Prince and Grand Master Matthew Festing at his Magistral Palace?  Bergolio would not dare. Unless he is in denial, he should already know that the Catholic Church under his papacy is coming apart.

First it was the Society of St. Pius X which said that "the proclamation of Catholic doctrine 'requires the denunciation of errors' that have made their way into the Church, ones which are 'unfortunately encouraged by a large number of pastors, including the Pope himself.'" [5]  Now it is the Knights of Malta that is finding Bergolio's inquiry (or rather him) to be legally irrelevant.

Who will repudiate the pope next?

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/11/order-malta-snubs-pope-francis-dismissing-irrevelant-vatican/

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] https://www.orderofmalta.int/contact/
[5] http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/sspx-retreats-from-regularization-with-rome