Albert von Boeselager, who was forced to resign as chancellor of the
Knights of Malta but reinstated by Pope Francis, has blamed American
conservatives for the turmoil in the order.Von Boeselager said that conservatives, unhappy with the Pope’s public statements on economic affairs, have provoked conflicts at the Vatican.
“There is, for instance, a very powerful, ultra-conservative movement in the US which has links to the Evangelical Churches and to conservative economists, behind which there is a great deal of money,” he said.
Von Boeselager linked Cardinal Raymond Burke to the alleged enemies of the Pope, charged that the American cardinal, by rebuking him for his involvement in a condom-distribution scheme, “is not only slandering me but is also indirectly attacking the Holy Father for protecting someone who distributes condoms.”
He observed that Cardinal Burke has recently reiterated that any Catholic official who is involved in distributing condoms should resign.