A Valid Election, a False Pope - Part II
Summary
Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito discusses the fundamental requirement for a valid papal election: the elected individual must accept the office with the proper intention—namely, to fulfill the obligations of the papacy as traditionally understood. He then cites excerpts from the papal oath, an oath once taken by popes upon their election, which explicitly commits them to:
Defend and safeguard the true faith, even at the cost of their life.
Preserve the doctrine of the Church exactly as received from Christ and His apostles.
Reject and forbid any novelty or change in doctrine, discipline, and tradition.
Uphold the decrees of the ecumenical councils and apostolic pontiffs.
Treat the sacred canons and constitutions as divine and unchangeable.
Rev. Despósito concludes by posing a rhetorical question: Has Jorge Bergoglio (Pope Francis) properly accepted his election by adhering to these solemn obligations? The implied answer is a resounding no.
Key Quotes
"I profess to safeguard by all my efforts, up to my life and my blood, this rectitude of the true faith which, having been given by its author, Christ, has been transmitted by thy successors and disciples until my lowliness, and is found in thy holy Church."
The papal office is fundamentally about defending the unchangeable faith, not reshaping it.
"I profess to change or diminish nothing of the tradition which has been kept by my illustrious predecessors, nor to admit any novelty."
This is a direct condemnation of modernism, which promotes doctrinal change in the name of "progress."
"I profess to safeguard the sacred canons and constitutions of our pontiffs as if they were divine and heavenly commandments."
The laws and traditions of the Church are not open to reinterpretation or liberalization.
"Does Jorge Bergoglio have the intention of carrying out the obligations attached to the papacy, as enumerated in the papal oath?"
This question exposes a critical contradiction between Pope Francis' actions and the historical duties of the papacy.
Analysis
1. The Papal Oath Condemns the Modernist Papacy
The papal oath, as cited by Rev. Despósito, is fundamentally opposed to the radical changes introduced by Vatican II and its popes.
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) promoted ecumenism, religious liberty, and collegiality—all condemned pre-Vatican II.
Pope Francis, by embracing these errors, explicitly violates the obligations outlined in the oath.
2. Papal Legitimacy Requires Fidelity to Tradition
Catholic doctrine teaches that the papacy is not a personal office of governance but a divine institution whose occupant must safeguard the faith.
If a man refuses or fails to fulfill this essential duty, he does not truly accept the papacy, making his election null.
Since Bergoglio openly contradicts Catholic tradition, he lacks the proper intention to be Pope.
3. Jorge Bergoglio’s Actions as Proof of Invalidity
The sedevacantist position holds that the Vatican II popes have rejected Catholicism in favor of modernist theology.
Examples of Bergoglio’s rejection of the papal oath:
Promoting interfaith dialogue that undermines the necessity of Catholicism for salvation.
Teaching that atheists and non-Catholics can be saved without the Catholic faith, contradicting Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus.
Encouraging religious pluralism, directly opposing the first commandment.
Abolishing traditional moral teachings by promoting ambiguous positions on divorce, homosexuality, and sin.
4. The Papal Oath Proves That Vatican II and Its Popes Are Illegitimate
If popes swore to “change nothing”, yet Vatican II overturned established doctrine, then:
A true pope would have rejected Vatican II as a false council.Since Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis have all promoted Vatican II, they cannot be true popes.
This justifies the sedevacantist position that the post-Vatican II claimants to the papacy are fraudulent anti-popes.
Takeaways & Conclusion
A True Pope Must Uphold Apostolic Tradition
The papal oath directly opposes the doctrinal changes of Vatican II.
Any pope who abandons Catholic tradition automatically disqualifies himself from the office.
Pope Francis Violates His Office
Jorge Bergoglio has actively contradicted the obligations outlined in the papal oath.
His actions are incompatible with the Catholic understanding of the papacy.
Vatican II Proves a Break in Apostolic Succession
Since Vatican II, the so-called “popes” have embraced heresy.
The only logical conclusion is that the papal throne is vacant (sede vacante).
Sedevacantism is the Only Theologically Sound Position
The papal oath supports the traditional Catholic rejection of Vatican II.
Recognizing Vatican II popes as valid would mean accepting a contradiction in Church teaching.
The Catholic Church remains intact, but outside the modernist hierarchy.
Thus, Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito’s argument reinforces the sedevacantist position: Jorge Bergoglio is not a valid pope because he lacks the necessary intention to fulfill the papacy’s divine obligations.
