3. Dispense the Grand Master and his allies from their religious vows. If Festing refuses to resign the Vatican could dispense him from his vows of poverty, chastity and obedience which would make it impossible to continue in his role. According to the order’s rules, the Grand Master must be a solemnly professed religious, as should the knights who hold the organisation’s leadership roles. But out of the 14,000 or so members of the order only 50 have made these vows. Dispensing some of them from their vows would not have a major impact on the life of the order and could also pave the way for reforming religious life inside the knights. 

4. Move Cardinal Burke. The Pope moved the United States’ cardinal - one of his most prominent critics - to patron of the order as a way of getting him out of running the Church’s supreme court equivalent. But Francis could decide that Burke failed to communicate his wishes to the order and therefore needs to be moved again.