The standoff between the Vatican and the Knights of Malta has taken a new twist, with the ousted foreign minister of the ancient lay Catholic order appealing against his suspension to the Knights' internal tribunal.
Albrecht von Boeselager was removed on December 8 after he refused a demand by the top knight to resign over revelations that the order's charity branch distributed tens of thousands of condoms in Burma under his watch.
In a statement von Boeselager said that he filed an appeal with the Knights' tribunal last week. The appeal argues that "not even one of the conditions" governing suspension of members applied to his case.
