ROME
SFGate
Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Thursday, February 2, 2017
ROME (AP) — The Knights of Malta religious order is seeking to move beyond its showdown with the Vatican, even while acknowledging the crisis had hurt donations for its humanitarian work and put into question the future of a conservative cardinal.
The senior leadership of the ancient aristocratic order held a press conference Thursday, its first since the top knight, Fra’ Matthew Festing, publicly battled with Pope Francis, lost and resigned.
Headlining the event was Albrecht von Boeselager, the Knights’ foreign and interior minister who was sacked by Festing.
Boeselager was restored to office thanks to Francis’ controversial intervention and is running the show pending the election of a new grand master to lead the order, which runs a vast aid operation around the world and has a unique sovereign status that enables it to function as its own country.
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