A Valid Election, a False Pope - Part I
Summary
Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito argues that Jorge Bergoglio’s election, though outwardly valid, does not result in a true pope because he fails to fulfill the essential obligations of the papal office. The speaker emphasizes that a legitimate pope must safeguard the deposit of faith, uphold Catholic doctrine, and promulgate laws that lead souls to salvation. He presents a threefold concept of apostolicity—orders, jurisdiction, and doctrine—stressing that jurisdiction alone is meaningless without doctrinal continuity. Since Vatican II introduced errors that contradict previous magisterial teachings, its supposed authority is null. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is to recognize the formal vacancy of the Holy See.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"The election of Jorge Bergoglio, which must be considered valid until the Church says otherwise, has not produced a real Pope."
This statement addresses the contradiction between an apparent papal election and the essential nature of the papacy. According to pre-Vatican II theology, the office of the pope is not merely an administrative function—it requires fidelity to divine truth. The implication is that legitimacy cannot be presumed based solely on the external election process but must be judged by adherence to Catholic doctrine.
"If a person is elected to the papacy but refuses to govern the Church in the way intended by Christ, but on the contrary intends to impose what is essentially a false religion upon the Church, the election of such a person does not and cannot produce a real Pope, until this voluntary obstacle is removed."
This reinforces a core sedevacantist argument: a pope cannot defect from the faith and remain pope. This aligns with the principle of Lex orandi, lex credendi (the law of prayer is the law of belief), which holds that a change in the Church’s worship reflects a change in its faith. Vatican II’s liturgical revolution and doctrinal deviations serve as evidence that the post-conciliar claimants to the papacy have not governed the Church according to Christ’s will.
"The apostolicity of jurisdiction means nothing without apostolicity of doctrine."
This statement highlights a key theological principle: ecclesiastical authority is not independent of doctrinal continuity. While modern theologians argue that apostolic succession guarantees the legitimacy of the post-Vatican II hierarchy, this argument collapses if the individuals in question fail to uphold Catholic doctrine. The papacy exists to confirm the brethren in the faith (Luke 22:32), not to introduce novelties or heresies.
"There’s only one way to explain apostolicity today: by recognizing the formal vacancy of the See of Peter."
This is the logical conclusion of the argument. If the post-Vatican II claimants have deviated from Catholic doctrine, then they lack true authority. The recognition of sede vacante (the absence of a true pope) is not an act of schism, but a recognition of reality—akin to how St. Athanasius resisted Arian usurpers in the fourth century.
Takeaways & Theological Implications
A True Pope Must Uphold the Deposit of Faith
The papal office is not a mere position of power but a divine institution with the primary duty of safeguarding sacred tradition. The modernist innovations of Vatican II—including religious liberty, ecumenism, and the new liturgy—are clear signs of rupture with pre-Vatican II Catholicism.
The Validity of a Papal Election is Conditional on Fidelity to Catholic Doctrine
Being elected does not automatically confer true papal authority. A candidate for the papacy must intend to govern the Church as Christ intended—that is, by preserving the faith, not distorting it. If a man openly promotes a false religion, he cannot be Christ’s Vicar.
Apostolicity Requires Doctrinal Continuity, Not Just Jurisdiction
Many defenders of Vatican II argue that the line of succession remains intact. However, if apostolicity is broken in doctrine, jurisdiction alone is meaningless. The hierarchy must preserve the unchangeable truths of the faith, or it ceases to be the true Catholic hierarchy.
Vatican II's Errors Prove That Its Authority is Illegitimate
Vatican II introduced teachings condemned by previous popes (e.g., ecumenism contradicts Mortalium Animos, religious liberty contradicts Quanta Cura). Since Christ’s Church cannot teach error, these innovations must come from a counterfeit authority.
Sedevacantism is the Only Theologically Coherent Position
Recognizing the vacancy of the papacy is not an act of rebellion but a recognition of Catholic doctrine. Just as theologians like St. Robert Bellarmine taught that a heretical pope ceases to be pope, sedevacantists uphold the principle that the See of Peter cannot be occupied by one who publicly embraces error.
Final Thoughts
Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito’s argument follows a clear logical progression from papal responsibility to doctrinal fidelity and concludes with the necessity of recognizing the formal vacancy of the Holy See. His analysis aligns closely with pre-Vatican II theology, particularly with Pope St. Pius X’s condemnation of modernism and the teachings of theologians like Cajetan and Bellarmine on the impossibility of a heretical pope.
The takeaway is not despair, but rather the recognition that the visible structures of the post-Vatican II institution do not constitute the true Catholic Church. Just as in times of great crisis (e.g., the Arian heresy), the faithful must hold fast to tradition and reject false claimants to authority.
