The Order of Malta has been through a bruising year since, last June, Pope Francis took a close interest in the affairs of the order, demanding reforms and imposing a new constitution to “complete the renewal process”. He named a new leader, ad interim, pending an election, which has just now  been confirmed as Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap, a Canadian-born, New York lawyer – who features on the cover of this  issue – and appointed a new Grand Hospitaller, the distinguished Italian paediatrician and epidemiologist, Fra’ Alessandro de Franciscis.