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.
