Cardinal Silvano Tomasi, the papal delegate to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, has appointed several new leaders for the Order, without consulting the group’s elected leadership.

The cardinal’s appointment of new head for the grand priories of England, Rome, Naples and Sicily, Bohemia and Austria show the degree to which the Vatican has taken over control of the ancient order. Members have voiced mounting concerns that the Vatican’s takeover jeopardizes the Order’s prized claim to sovereignty.

Cardinal Tomasi is leading an effort to rewrite the constitution of the Order. To date he has been unable to reach an agreement on reforms with the existing leadership.