The Case for Sedevacantism (Part 1)
Bishop Pivarunas speaks on the basics of the Sedevacantist Theological Position during the 2006 Fatima Conference.
Summary
Bishop Mark Pivarunas presents a thorough defense of the sedevacantist position, arguing that the post-Vatican II Church has deviated from Catholic doctrine, rendering the claimants to the papacy since Vatican II illegitimate. Using the Scholastic method, he first outlines opposing arguments (particularly from Fr. Brian Harrison) and then systematically refutes them with theological, canonical, and historical evidence.
The main topics addressed include:
Radical Changes in Church Doctrine Post-Vatican II: Religious liberty, ecumenism, changes in the sacraments, and the concept of the Church itself contradict pre-Vatican II teachings.
The Invalidity of a Heretical Pope: A public heretic cannot be a valid pope, as per Divine Law.
Refuting Fr. Brian Harrison’s Arguments: The claim that a heretical pope can remain in office due to Pius XII’s legislation is false.
Theological and Canonical Basis for Sedevacantism: The 1917 Code of Canon Law and Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio confirm that heretics lose office automatically.
The Issue of Apostolic Succession: Addressing concerns about the visibility of the Church and the papal vacancy.
Bishop Pivarunas emphasizes that the post-Vatican II claimants to the papacy have lost authority due to heresy, leaving the Holy See vacant.
Key Quotes from Bishop Pivarunas
1. On Vatican II Contradicting Prior Church Teaching
"Before Vatican II, the Catholic Church taught that there is but one true Church of Christ. Now, after Vatican II, we hear that the ‘true Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church but is not limited only to it.’”
"Things previously condemned, such as religious liberty, are now being promoted as official Church teaching."
"Before Vatican II, interfaith worship was condemned as heretical. Now, it is encouraged and promoted at the highest levels of the Church."
2. On the Invalidity of a Heretical Pope
"Heretics and apostates, at least public ones, are excluded from the papacy by Divine Law itself."
"If a pope were to become a formal heretic, he would, by Divine Law, fall from office without the need for any formal sentence."
"The Pope cannot dispense from Divine Law."
3. Refuting Fr. Brian Harrison’s Argument That a Heretical Pope Remains Valid
"Pius XII only lifted ecclesiastical penalties for electing a pope—not Divine Law. A public heretic is outside the Church and cannot be its head."
"No one can judge the first See—except when the pope defects from the faith. Then he has already judged himself."
4. On Apostolic Succession and the Perpetuity of the Papacy
"If there is no valid successor to Peter for 48 years, how can we maintain that apostolic succession is perpetual?"
"The four marks of the Church must always exist. If they are no longer found in Rome, where are they?"
"Christ promised that the Church would never fail, but the Vatican II institution has demonstrably abandoned Catholic doctrine."
Theological Analysis from a Sedevacantist Pre-Vatican II Catholic Perspective
1. Vatican II as Apostasy
Bishop Pivarunas strongly affirms the sedevacantist position that Vatican II represents a total break from Catholic Tradition, introducing theological errors that contradict infallible Church teachings. He highlights the following grave deviations:
Rejection of Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus (No Salvation Outside the Church): Vatican II falsely claims that non-Catholics can be saved without conversion.
Ecumenism and Religious Liberty: Condemned by Pope Pius IX (Syllabus of Errors), yet now considered official doctrine.
Interfaith Worship: Forbidden by the 1917 Code of Canon Law, yet now practiced by Vatican II “popes.”
Changes to the Mass and Sacraments: The traditional Latin Mass, theologically sound and sacrificial in nature, has been replaced by a Protestantized liturgy.
From a traditional Catholic perspective, these errors constitute formal heresy, and indicate that the post-Vatican II hierarchy has abandoned the Catholic Faith, losing all legitimate authority.
2. Divine Law and the Automatic Loss of Office
Bishop Pivarunas provides a compelling case that heretics cannot hold ecclesiastical office, citing:
Pope Innocent III: "No one can judge me unless I defect from the faith."
1917 Code of Canon Law, Canon 188: "A cleric who publicly defects from the Catholic faith tacitly renounces his office."
Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio (Pope Paul IV, 1559): "If a bishop, cardinal, or even pope deviates from the faith before or after election, his office is null and void."
The key argument is that Divine Law supersedes ecclesiastical law. While Pius XII lifted canonical penalties for papal elections, he did not (and could not) dispense from Divine Law, which automatically deposes a public heretic.
3. Refuting the “No One Can Judge the Pope” Argument
Opponents like Fr. Brian Harrison argue that a pope remains in office regardless of personal heresy because no human authority can judge him. Bishop Pivarunas refutes this by stating:
A pope who becomes a public heretic ceases to be a member of the Church.
No juridical sentence is required; the loss of office happens ipso facto.
The Church’s role is merely to recognize the fact, not to depose him.
Pope Innocent III and theologians throughout Church history confirm this principle.
Thus, the argument that a heretical pope remains in power is fundamentally flawed.
4. Apostolic Succession and the Visibility of the Church
One of the strongest objections to sedevacantism is that the Church must have a living pope to remain visible and apostolically linked to Christ. Bishop Pivarunas responds by:
Drawing from history: The Western Schism (1378-1417) saw three men claiming to be pope, yet the Church persisted.
Clarifying the nature of the true Church: Visibility is not necessarily tied to Rome if Rome has abandoned the Faith.
Proposing divine intervention as a solution: The Church will be restored, just as it has survived past crises.
However, the issue of a prolonged sede vacante remains a challenge. Sedevacantists maintain that apostolic succession does not require a heretical hierarchy and that God will restore the papacy in due time.
Key Takeaways
Vatican II introduced theological errors that contradict past infallible teachings.
The post-Vatican II popes have lost legitimacy by embracing heresy.
A public heretic automatically loses office by Divine Law.
This is affirmed by Canon Law, Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio, and papal decrees.
The argument that “no one can judge the pope” is incorrect.
A pope who defects from the faith is judged by God and loses his authority.
Apostolic succession remains a challenge for sedevacantism.
While history shows the Church can survive papal vacancies, the long-term governance issue remains.
The modern Vatican II Church is not the Catholic Church.
The Catholic faithful must reject Vatican II and adhere to traditional doctrine.
Final Thoughts
This conference by Bishop Mark Pivarunas provides a clear and systematic defense of sedevacantism, reinforcing the theological and canonical basis for rejecting the post-Vatican II popes. The arguments presented directly challenge the legitimacy of Vatican II, demonstrating that the Novus Ordo institution cannot be the true Catholic Church.
