The Vatican takeover of the Order of Malta has a possible precedent – from 1981, when St John Paul II intervened in the internal affairs of the Jesuit Order. The then General, Padre Arrupe, elected for life, had been incapacitated by a stroke. The Jesuits decided to elect a certain Fr O'Keefe to run the Order in the incapacity of Arrupe, but the Pope intervened and appointed Fr Paolo Dezza to run the order until such a time as a new General could be elected. After a period of two years the Pope gave permission to the Jesuits to elect a new superior.
11:24 AM
Francis isn't the first Pope to intervene in an Order's affairs. But papal power can go too far
Protestant and Orthodox Christians may well ask what this says about the institution of the papacy
Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith
3 min read
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