The author of a highly critical book about Pope Francis, entitled "The Dictator Pope," has been suspended by the Knights of Malta lay religious order. "The Dictator Pope" was published electronically in November under the pen name Marcantonio Colonna. He disputed the order's characterization that "The Dictator Pope" was an attack on Francis. "The Dictator Pope," published electronically first in Italian and then in English, has been one of the most-talked about quiet rebellions during the Francis papacy, giving voice to much of the conservative and tradition-minded alarm over the populist pope. He added that he wrote "The Dictator Pope" after his work as a historian was "terminated" in 2017 thanks to Francis' ouster of the Knights of Malta's grand master, Fra' Matthew Festing.

Source: ABC News March 22, 2018 16:14 UTC