Key figure in Knights of Malta dispute loses suit against Catholic media outlet
September 14, 2017
Albrecht von Boeselager, who was the focus of a dispute that prompted a papal intervention into the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, has lost a lawsuit against a Catholic media outlet that reported Boeselager was aware of condom-distribution program.
A German court dismissed Boeselager’s suit against the German-language outlet Kath.net, saying that the Kath.net report on Boeselager’s role was essentially accurate. The internet news service had reported that under Boeselager’s leadership, Malteser International—a charitable arm of the Knights of Malta—had knowingly been involved in the distribution of contraceptives.
Boeselager, who was chancellor of the Knights of Malta, was ousted from his position by the order’s leader, Fra Matthew Festing, in large part because of his role in the condom-distribution campaign. Boeselager, who claimed to have been unaware of the contraceptive involvement, appealed to the Vatican, and Pope Francis intervened directly to demand Festing’s resignation and reinstate Boeselager as chancellor.
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