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.

During a flight from Rome to Madagascar, Pope Francis said to French author Nicolas Senèze "It was an honor to be attacked by the Americans", described in Senèze's book as wealthy and often traditionalist.

Pope Francis appointed Abp. Victor Manual Fernandez as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Fernandez’s works included a book on the theology of kissing and another in which he described orgasms in graphic terms.