Following news of his suspension, Mr Sire responded saying that the action was ‘wholly illegal’ – an assertion the order disputes.
The writer of a highly critical book on Pope Francis is facing disciplinary action from the Order of Malta which could lead to his expulsion from the knights.
Henry Sire, author of “The Dictator Pope,” has been suspe-nded from the order while a committee investigates the matter.
A spokeswoman for the order explained that Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre, the Lieutenant of the Grand Master, has set up a body to look at “disciplinary sanctions” against Mr Sire whose book presents Francis as an “authoritarian, manipulative, and politically partisan pontiff.”
Sire writes that when the cameras aren’t rolling, the Pope is “arrogant, standoffish with people, vulgar in his language and famous for his violent outbursts of anger that are known to all, from cardinals to car drivers.”
The spokeswoman said: “I can confirm that the disciplinary procedure was agreed together with the Grand Commander who is Henry Sire’s religious superior. A motuproprio decree was issued by the Lieutenant of the Grand Master, Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre, who also nominated a committee tasked with investi-gating the matter and – in case – putting forward disciplinary sanctions.
