The Right Way to Resist False Shepherds
Summary
Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito argues that Catholics are traditionally bound to submit to Church authority. However, the post-Vatican II hierarchy, led by the current occupant of the See of Peter, is no longer acting as true shepherds but as wolves who persecute faithful Catholics. He states that the Vatican II popes lack legitimate authority because they seek to impose a false religion.
The theological foundation for this argument is that true authority in the Catholic Church cannot coexist with the intention to spread doctrinal error. As a result, Jorge Bergoglio (Pope Francis) is not a real pope, but merely a "pope-elect," and the See of Peter is formally vacant.
Rev. Despósito also suggests that if Bergoglio were to renounce Vatican II entirely, he would automatically become pope. However, he acknowledges that such an event would require a miracle. He concludes that as more Catholics recognize the reality of the post-Vatican II crisis, the false hierarchy’s grip on the Church will weaken, leading to the eventual restoration of true Catholic authority.
Key Quotes and Their Implications
"Catholics are bound to submit to the authorities of the church but today those holding positions of authority… are acting not as Shepherds but as wolves."
This statement aligns with traditional Catholic teaching on the necessity of obedience to legitimate Church authority. However, it asserts that the Vatican II popes are not true shepherds but instead lead the faithful into error.
Biblical Support: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15, Douay-Rheims)
"The current claimant of the See of Peter has no real power from God to rule the Church."
This reflects the sedevacantist position that authority in the Church comes from Christ and cannot be held by those who promote heresy.
Pope Paul IV (Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio, 1559): "If ever at any time it shall appear that any Bishop, even the Roman Pontiff, has deviated from the Catholic Faith, he shall not be considered validly elected."
"Valid elections are not producing real popes… because Vatican II popes have the intention of imposing a new religion upon us."
This aligns with the sedevacantist claim that Vatican II did not merely introduce reforms but created an entirely new, modernist religion.
Pope St. Pius X (Pascendi Dominici Gregis, 1907): "Modernism is the synthesis of all heresies."
"Francis’ predecessors tried to keep an appearance of continuity with the past, but Francis himself does not care. This makes things easier for us traditional Catholics."
This highlights how previous Vatican II popes attempted to mask their break from tradition, while Pope Francis openly disregards it, making it clearer that the Vatican II church is distinct from true Catholicism.
"The election of Jorge Bergoglio has not produced a pope but only a pope-elect."
This reflects the sedevacantist position that Bergoglio lacks papal authority because he is not a true Catholic.
"If Bergoglio sincerely repudiates Vatican II, he would automatically become the pope."
This suggests that the Vatican II popes are potentially capable of conversion and that their lack of authority is due to their adherence to modernism, a view held by sedeprivationists.
Debate Within Sedevacantism: Some sedevacantists reject this idea, arguing that a non-Catholic can never validly assume the papacy.
Analysis
Legitimacy of Authority
The Church’s authority is derived from Christ and cannot contradict past teachings. Since Vatican II introduced contradictions (e.g., ecumenism, religious liberty), its popes lack true authority.
St. Robert Bellarmine (De Romano Pontifice, II, 30): "A manifest heretic is deposed ipso facto."
Vatican II as a False Religion
Vatican II introduced doctrines that contradict prior magisterial teachings, including:
Religious liberty (contradicting Quanta Cura and Syllabus of Errors, Pope Pius IX)
Ecumenism (contradicting Mortalium Animos, Pope Pius XI)
New Mass (Novus Ordo) (deviating from the Tridentine Latin Mass, codified by Quo Primum, Pope St. Pius V)
If Vatican II is heretical, its leaders cannot be legitimate authorities.
The Formal Vacancy of the See of Peter
The phrase "formally vacant" means that the Vatican II popes do not hold true authority, despite being publicly recognized.
Canon Law (1917 Code, Canon 188.4): "If a cleric publicly defects from the Catholic faith, he automatically loses his office."
The argument follows that by promoting Vatican II errors, Bergoglio and his predecessors have lost their authority.
The Role of Francis in the Crisis
Rev. Despósito argues that Francis makes the sedevacantist case clearer because he no longer attempts to maintain even an appearance of Catholic continuity.
This aligns with the view that Vatican II began as a subtle deception but has now become an open rupture with Catholic tradition.
Possibility of Bergoglio Becoming Pope
The claim that Bergoglio could become pope if he renounces Vatican II is more in line with sedeprivationism (Cassiciacum Thesis), which argues that Vatican II popes lack authority due to defective intentions but could validly assume the office if they convert.
Strict sedevacantists reject this, arguing that a non-Catholic could never be pope in any capacity.
Key Takeaways
Vatican II and its popes have abandoned Catholic tradition and imposed a false religion.
True authority in the Church cannot impose doctrinal errors, meaning that the Vatican II hierarchy lacks legitimate jurisdiction.
Pope Francis’ open disregard for tradition makes it easier for traditional Catholics to see the break with the past.
The See of Peter is formally vacant, meaning that Bergoglio is not a true pope but a mere claimant.
There is debate within sedevacantism over whether a Vatican II pope could regain legitimacy upon renouncing Vatican II.
Final Thoughts
Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito’s speech is a clear and forceful presentation of the sedevacantist position. His argument is consistent with pre-Vatican II Catholic teaching and aligns with papal documents condemning modernism. While his claim that Bergoglio could become pope if he renounced Vatican II may be debated within sedevacantist circles, his overall message is one of resistance to the Vatican II hierarchy and a call to recognize the reality of the crisis in the Church.
