Vatican condom row: pope prevails as Knights of Malta chief resigns

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Vatican condom row: pope prevails as Knights of Malta chief resigns

Catholic order’s British leader, Matthew Festing, had been
in conflict with liberalising pontiff over charity project

Harriet Sherwood Religion correspondent
Wednesday 25 January 2017 17.32 GMT

The head of the Knights of Malta, an ancient Catholic order, has resigned over a dispute with the Vatican about free condoms that has become a battle of wills between the heads of two of the world’s oldest institutions and a test of Pope Francis’s authority.

The Rome-based chivalric and charity institution said Grand Master Matthew Festing, 67, resigned after the pope asked him to step down on Tuesday. Grand masters of the institution, which was founded in the 11th century, usually hold their posts for life.

“The pope asked him to resign and he agreed,” the order’s spokesperson said, adding that the group’s sovereign council would sign off on the highly unusual resignation within days.

Confirming Festing’s departure, the Vatican said Francis had “expressed his appreciation and recognition for (Festing’s) loyalty and devotion to the successor to St Peter (the pope) and his readiness to humbly act in the interests of the Order and the Church”.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/25/vatican-condom-row-pope-prevails-as-knights-of-malta-chief-resigns

[Bretton Garcia]

1. Some like Trojans better than Knights?

It's odd that the Pope would crack down so hard on condoms.

Some might like the Knight's old butler/doorman uniform though.