VATICAN CITY
Crux
Nicole Winfield January 17, 2017
ASSOCIATED PRESS
VATICAN CITY – The head of the embattled Knights of Malta is seeking to discredit a Vatican investigation into the removal of a top official over a condom scandal, insisting that he followed the rules in the dismissal.
In the latest development in the showdown between the ancient Catholic lay order and the Holy See, Fra’ Matthew Festing explained and defended his actions in a Jan. 14 letter to the Knights’ membership.
“Suffice it to say, whilst I was trying to enjoy a peaceful Advent and Christmastide, I have barely been able to concentrate on anything else,” he wrote. “It has been extremely tiring and I am sure many of you have had your Christmases disturbed by similar preoccupations.”
Festing said he was only protecting the order’s sovereignty in refusing to cooperate with a commission appointed by Pope Francis to investigate the ouster of Albrecht von Boeselager.
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