ROME
Herald Malaysia
By Robert Mickens
The Knights of Malta made the surprise announcement last week: that the mandate of their Grand Chancellor, Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager (pic), has come to an abrupt end only halfway through the German nobleman’s five-year term.
No reason was given in the short news item that was posted December 8 on the Sovereign
Military Hospitaller Order’s website.
The Order’s Prince and Grand Master, Matthew Festing, was just as vague in a letter (which La Croix International has seen) that was sent to the Knights’ national priors and other leading officials.
While Festing expressed “regret” that Boeselager “no longer holds the position of Grand Chancellor”, he added that the former official also would not have “any other position in and on behalf of the Order”.
Some saw that as a clear sign that the 67-year-old German, a Knight of Malta since 1976 and one of its top international officers since 1989, had been pushed out.
Festing said this was “with immediate effect” and added that members would “be informed as soon as possible” of the man who would temporarily fill the extremely important post of Grand Chancellor, basically the Order’s head of foreign affairs and the interior.
Sources close to the Knights of Malta, but who wished not to be identified, said it was suspected that Cardinal Raymond Burke played a role in sacking Boeselager.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.