Fra John T. Dunlap, Lieutenant of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta. / Twitter @orderofmalta.Rome Newsroom, Jun 14, 2022 / 09:45 am (CNA).Pope Francis appointed a new head of the Order of Malta on Monday even before the funeral of its previous leader Fra Marco Luzzago, who died suddenly on June 7.The Canadian-born lawyer Fra John T. Dunlap will serve as the Lieutenant of the Grand Master, a role that Luzzago held for two years. Dunlap was sworn in on June 14, the day of Luzzago s funeral.The Lieutenant of the Grand Master is normally elected for a one-year term. But in 2021, Pope Francis extended Luzzago s tenure indefinitely until the election of a new Grand Master of the order, a position traditionally held for life.Now, by direct order of Pope Francis, Dunlap is the new Lieutenant of the Grand Master and will collaborate closely with the pope s special delegate, Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi. Tomasi was received by Pope Francis in June 2021 with Father Gianfranco Ghi.