"The Knights are not normally led by a papal delegate, as they are considered a sovereign order independent from the Vatican. It is unclear what authority Francis may give the delegate . . . ."

Truth be told, the Knights of Malta are probably beyond the ken of most Americans.  They're certainly outside my sphere of knowledge.  But McElwee's article, and particularly the sentence quoted above, raises the question: By what right does the Pope "fire" Festing, the head of a sovereign order? The Knights aren't like the Jesuits or Franciscans, or any other order subject to Rome.  That being the case, how can the Pope even "accept" Festing's resignation? And as for it being "unclear what authority Francis may give the delegate," by what right does the Pope give the delegate any authority at all? Writ small, it's like the Pope firing Trump or Obama and replacing him with someone more to his liking. But from whence this authority?  Or is this like Obama with a cell phone and a pen?