UPDATE 11 June:

A spokeswoman for the @orderofmalta in Rome has confirmed to me this morning that this June 10 letter of the Grand Master banning all liturgical ceremonies in the Extraordinary Form within the Order is genuine. pic.twitter.com/J2aUrCUiWY — Edward Pentin (@EdwardPentin) June 11, 2019

___Originally Published on: Jun 10, 2019

In the wake of the hostile takeover some two years ago, the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of Malta has dealt yet another self-inflicted wound to its identity and purpose.

We should now refer to Vichy Malta…. Vichy SMOM.

Today I received a copy of a letter of 10 June 2019 from the Vichy Grand Master of SMOM to all members. Channeling his inner Pétain, he forbids the use of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite at any of their Vichy SMOM events.

Note in the letter, below, that the half-informed scribe who wrote it got the name of Benedict XVI’s document wrong.

Frankly, it would be reasonable were present members to resign, given the antics of the Holy See and SMOM over the last couple of years.

For young people in Columbia Heights, “Vichy” is explained HERE.

Think about the amazing tradition of the Knights of Malta. I recently read the book by Ernle Bradford: The Great Siege, Malta 1565: Clash of Cultures: Christian Knights Defend Western Civilization Against the Moslem Tide.

US HERE – UK HERE

I warmly recommend this book. The present SMOM has turned its proverbial back on their own history and identity.

Vichy.