JUST OVER a year ago the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Matthew Festing, resigned from his post following a very public stand-off with Pope Francis. To briefly recap: the row erupted after Fra’ Matthew sacked a senior German knight, Albrecht von Boeselager, who was accused of overseeing condom distribution as part of one of the order’s overseas aid projects. Cardinal Raymond Burke, patron of the order and arch-Francis critic, indicated the Holy See’s approval of the dismissal. It later became clear that the Pope had in fact called for the matter to be resolved through dialogue.