ROME
LifeSite News
Claire Chretien
December 23, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – The Knights of Malta have responded to the news that the Vatican will be investigating the firing of one of its top officials for overseeing the distribution of contraception by saying it’s an internal matter that “falls solely within” the Order’s “competence.”
According to a statement from the Grand Magistry of the Sovereign Order of Malta, “The replacement of the former Grand Chancellor is an act of internal governmental administration of the Sovereign Order of Malta and consequently falls solely within its competence.”
The Order has been in the news recently after one of top-ranking officials, Albrecht von Boeselager, violated his vow of obedience by refusing to resign after it was revealed he had overseen the distribution of contraception in developing countries through the order’s charity, Malteser International. Von Boeselager’s refusal to resign allowed the Order to take disciplinary action against him.
The Catholic Church teaches that artificial contraception is intrinsically evil.
Then, on Thursday, Pope Francis announced he was launching an investigation into the situation. The Times of Malta reported that the investigation was rumored to be focused less on the condom scandal and more on the process that led to von Boeselager’s sacking.
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