When Henry Sire published his book The Dictator Pope last year, he knew it could bring reprisals. Indeed, it was originally published pseudonymously – partly to protect Sire’s anonymous Vatican sources.
Now Sire has been expelled from the Order of Malta – a religious order of which he has written the standard history. Sire was suspended in March, when the Order set up a disciplinary commission.
His book criticised Francis’s interventions in religious orders, and said the Pope had introduced doctrinal ambiguity, following the programme of the “St Gallen mafia” who, he argued, brought about his election. Sire also claimed the Vatican was increasingly dominated by corrupt churchmen, while officials with integrity lived in fear of the sack.
The book divided opinion: some reviewers praised the book as an accurate portrayal, while others said it was inadequately sourced and guilty of irreverence towards the Pope.
Now, the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre, has decreed that Sire be expelled, as his book is “gravely offensive and disrespectful to the person of the Holy Father”.
In a statement, Sire said that he wrote his book “for the good of the Church, in defence of the Faith and in obedience to the duty of a Christian to witness to the truth”. But the decree says that, while canon law recognises a right to public commentary on the Church, it also says that such commentary must be “attentive to ... the dignity of persons”. Sire, it says, went too far.
Sire claims he has not received due process; he plans to appeal.
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