On February 26, Pope Francis met for two hours with the Lieutenant Grand Master Fra’ Marco Luzzago, Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi (the Pope’s delegate to the Order), and others who offered differing visions of the reform of the Order of Malta.

As previously reported, Pope Francis will personally decide on constitutional reforms for the sovereign military order.

“The Holy Father began and ended the audience by stating that he had taken to himself the final decision-making of the critical issues regarding the Order’s constitutional reform,” said Marwan Sehnaoui, chairman of the steering committee for the constitutional reform. “Pope Francis listened carefully to the presentations and interventions of both sides.”

“After the exchange of views, the Holy Father said that there is no urgency in making a final decision,” Sehnaoui added. “His Holiness also said that he wishes to gather and review more information and that he would probably convene another audience.”