Refuting Father Hesse’s Objections Against Sedevacantism: A Theological and Canonical Rebuttal

Introduction

Father Gregory Hesse’s arguments against sedevacantism ultimately rest on errors in canon law, misapplication of theological principles, and a failure to recognize that a manifest heretic ceases to be pope by divine law. In this refutation, we will:

• Summarize his claims

• Provide key Catholic sources refuting each point

• Demonstrate why Vatican II popes are false popes according to divine law

Summary of Father Hesse’s Arguments

1. Distinction Between Material vs. Formal Heresy – A pope remains pope unless he formally and explicitly declares himself against dogma.

2. A Sinful Pope Does Not Lose His Office – A pope may commit grave sins (e.g., being a Freemason) but remains validly pope unless he publicly and willfully denies dogma.

3. Vatican II Popes Do Not Formally Reject Tradition – John Paul II may reinterpret doctrine, but he does not outright deny it, so he is not a formal heretic.

4. The Burden of Proof Is on Sedevacantists – The Church presumes a pope’s legitimacy unless conclusively proven otherwise.

5. Ex Apostolatus Officio Is Merely Disciplinary – It does not permanently bind the Church regarding papal elections.

6. John Paul II’s Errors Do Not Constitute Formal Heresy – His contradictions of past teachings (e.g., ecumenism, salvation outside the Church) do not prove he knowingly intended to deny Catholic dogma.

7. No Definitive Judgment on the Vatican II Popes Exists – Since no official tribunal has declared the Vatican II popes non-popes, sedevacantists cannot be certain.

Refutations and Theological Analysis

Each of Hesse’s claims is false when judged against pre-Vatican II Catholic teaching, canon law, and divine law. Below is a detailed refutation of each point, proving that Vatican II popes are illegitimate.

1. "A pope ceases to be pope only when he is in formal heresy."

Refutation:

✅ Catholic Teaching on Heretics Losing Office Automatically

• Canon Law (1917 Code, Canon 188.4): “If a cleric publicly defects from the Catholic faith, he automatically loses any ecclesiastical office.”

  • This law applies universally and includes the papacy, since no one, not even a pope, can remain Catholic while rejecting the faith.

• Pope Paul IV, Ex Apostolatus Officio (1559):

  • A heretic cannot be validly elected pope, and if elected, his election is null and void from the beginning.

• St. Robert Bellarmine (De Romano Pontifice, II, 30):

  • "A manifest heretic cannot be pope because he is not even a member of the Church."

• Pope Innocent III:

  • "The Pope has no superior but can be judged for heresy."

🔥 Hesse’s Error:
Hesse falsely asserts that a heretic remains pope unless he formally declares his heresy. However, Church law and doctrine confirm that a heretic ceases to be Catholic and therefore loses office automatically. No declaration is needed, as divine law itself enacts the penalty.

2. "A pope can sin gravely (e.g., being a Freemason) and remain pope."

Refutation:

✅ Distinction Between Personal Sin and Heresy

• Personal sin (e.g., fornication, theft) does not remove someone from office.

• Public heresy, however, removes a person from the Church entirely, meaning they lose all ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

• Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi (1943):

  • “Heretics are separated from the Church by their own will.”

• St. Robert Bellarmine:

  • “The Pope cannot be judged by man, but if he becomes a manifest heretic, he ceases to be pope and can be judged.”

🔥 Hesse’s Error:
Hesse misapplies the distinction between grave sin and heresy. Vatican II popes publicly teach heresy, meaning they cease to be Catholic and lose their office by divine law.

3. "John Paul II does not reject tradition outright, so he is not a formal heretic."

Refutation:

✅ Condemnation of Doctrinal Evolution

• Pope Pius IX, Syllabus of Errors (1864):

  • Condemns the idea that doctrine evolves and that dogma must adapt to modern thought.

• Pope Leo XIII, Satis Cognitum (1896):

  • “Even those who obstinately reject one doctrine are already severed from the Church.”

• Pope St. Pius X, Pascendi Dominici Gregis (1907):

  • Modernism teaches that doctrine must evolve, and the Church formally condemns this error.

🔥 Hesse’s Error:
Hesse falsely assumes that as long as a pope claims to uphold tradition, he is not a formal heretic. However, publicly reinterpreting dogma against prior magisterial teaching is heresy.

4. "The burden of proof is on sedevacantists to prove a pope is not pope."

Refutation:

✅ Divine Law on Heresy Removes a Pope Automatically

• **Pope Paul IV, Ex Apostolatus Officio:

  • A heretic pope’s election is null, ipso facto.

• Canon Law (1917 Code, Canon 188.4):

  • “A heretic loses office automatically.”

🔥 Hesse’s Error:
Hesse reverses the burden of proof. Church teaching states that heretics lose office automatically, so it is those who claim Vatican II popes are legitimate who must prove their case.

5. "Ex Apostolatus Officio is only disciplinary."

Refutation:

✅ Papal Decree Binding for All Time

• Pope Paul IV explicitly states that this decree is binding “for all eternity.”

• It is based on divine law, meaning no future pope can override it.

🔥 Hesse’s Error:
Hesse wrongly dismisses an infallible doctrinal decree as mere discipline. However, it is perpetual and confirms that a heretic can never be a valid pope.

6. "John Paul II calling Protestant churches ‘sister churches’ does not make him a formal heretic."

Refutation:

✅ Condemnation of False Ecumenism

• Pope Pius XI, Mortalium Animos (1928):

  • “The union of Christians can only be promoted by conversion to the one true Church.”

• Council of Florence (1442):

  • “Outside the Catholic Church there is absolutely no salvation.”

🔥 Hesse’s Error:
By explicitly rejecting past teachings, John Paul II committed heresy and lost the papacy.

Takeaways

1. Public heresy automatically deposes a pope.

   • Church teaching and canon law confirm this, contradicting Hesse.

2. Vatican II popes have taught heresy.

   • Ecumenism, religious indifferentism, and collegiality contradict past magisterial teaching.

3. Sedevacantism is the only logical conclusion.

   • A heretical pope automatically loses office, proving Vatican II popes are false popes.

Conclusion

Hesse’s arguments collapse when tested against Catholic doctrine. The Vatican II popes are heretics and have lost their office, making sedevacantism the only possible Catholic position.