Why Cardinal Ghirlanda became patron of the Knights of Malta

Ghirlanda replaces Cardinal Raymond Burke; the two cardinals played very different roles at the beginning and end of the order's reform

Pope Francis on Monday named the Jesuit Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda as the new cardinal patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The announcement followed a meeting that same morning between Pope Francis and the order’s Grand Master, Fra’ John Dunlap, who was elected last month. 

Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda

The cardinal patron is responsible f…