The Pope met secretly with Matthew Festing, Grand Master of the Order of Malta and pressured him for his resignation, which Festing gave. This took place after the Order removed its Grand Chancellor, Albrecht von Boeselager, for denying knowledge that a program funded by the Order had distributed condoms.

The Congregation for Religious and for Institutes of Consecrated Life dissolved the General Council of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, imposing rule by an appointed commissioner, revoking the right of priests to offer a private Mass daily, and forbidding the use of the classical Roman rite, except where expressly permitted by superiors.