The True Adorers of the Father
Summary
Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito critiques Jorge Bergoglio (Pope Francis), asserting that he is not the true head of the Catholic Church but rather a source of error and division. Drawing on St. Bonaventure, he emphasizes the importance of unity in the Body of Christ, symbolized through the Eucharist—one bread made of pure grains and one wine pressed from pure grapes. Catholics, he asserts, worship God by offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, a public act done in union with Christ, the Church, and the priest.
Rev. Despósito argues that true unity of faith and worship today is preserved by rejecting the inclusion of Pope Francis in the Canon of the Mass (i.e., rejecting "Una Cum" Masses). He maintains that God cannot be pleased by a sacrifice offered in union with a false religious leader and calls for Catholics to avoid attending any Masses that include Francis’ name, particularly those associated with Vatican II and the Novus Ordo rite.
Key Quotes and Their Significance
“Jorge Bergoglio claims to be the head of the Church; in reality, he is the principle of error and division in the Church.”
This assertion is fundamental to sedevacantist theology. It rejects Bergoglio (Pope Francis) as a valid pope, viewing him instead as a false shepherd leading the faithful into doctrinal error and spiritual decay.
“St. Bonaventure says that nothing is a more appropriate symbol of the unity of the body of Christ, physical and mystical, than the one bread made of a number of the cleanest grains and the one wine pressed from a number of the purest grapes.”
By invoking St. Bonaventure, Despósito reinforces the theological principle that true Catholic unity is rooted in the purity of the faith and sacraments. Just as the Eucharist is composed of the purest elements, so too must the Church remain untainted by heresy or error.
“God is a spirit, and they that adore him must adore him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
This Gospel passage is used to argue that true worship must be grounded in doctrinal truth. Despósito implies that offering Mass in union with Pope Francis contradicts this command because Vatican II and the Novus Ordo liturgy represent a departure from Catholic truth.
“God cannot be pleased by a sacrifice offered in union with Una Cum the head of a false religion.”
This statement rejects the legitimacy of Una Cum Masses (Masses offered in union with the pope). From a sedevacantist perspective, such Masses compromise the integrity of worship by acknowledging an invalid pope, thereby rendering the sacrifice spiritually defective.
“The consistent thing to do is to avoid the Una Cum Mass.”
This is a call to action for traditional Catholics to separate themselves from any Mass that includes Pope Francis’ name in the Canon. The implication is that those who recognize the errors of Vatican II must logically follow through by rejecting Masses that implicitly affirm Bergoglio’s authority.
Analysis
1. Rejection of Pope Francis and the Post-Vatican II Church
Despósito’s remarks align with the sedevacantist position that Vatican II represents a rupture from authentic Catholic tradition, rendering subsequent popes illegitimate. He portrays Pope Francis as not merely misguided, but as actively promoting heresy and error, making his authority null and void.
The rejection of the pope is rooted in the doctrine that a heretic cannot be a true pope (Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio, Pope Paul IV). Since Vatican II introduced ecumenical and interfaith practices condemned by past popes, sedevacantists argue that those who promulgate such teachings—especially Francis—are outside the Church and thus cannot be its head.
2. The Importance of Doctrinal Purity and the Mass
Despósito highlights the Mass as the supreme act of worship, emphasizing its public nature and its necessity for unity with Christ and the true Church. The implication is that any deviation from the traditional Latin Mass (especially the Novus Ordo) dilutes its sacrificial essence.
In his rejection of the Una Cum Mass, Despósito follows the sedevacantist belief that offering Mass in communion with an invalid pope is offensive to God. This mirrors the position of theologians like St. Robert Bellarmine, who taught that unity with a heretical pope is impossible because he ceases to be a true member of the Church.
3. A Call to Action: Total Separation from the Vatican II Church
The ultimate message is clear: Catholics must completely reject the post-Vatican II Church. This is not merely a critique of Pope Francis but an indictment of the entire modern hierarchy. By refusing to participate in Una Cum Masses, sedevacantists maintain what they believe to be the only logical and theologically sound position—absolute separation from the Vatican II institution.
Despósito’s call for Catholics to reject the Una Cum Mass underscores the sedevacantist principle that the Novus Ordo rite is not merely deficient but fundamentally corrupt. This aligns with traditionalist critiques that Vatican II introduced a Protestantized liturgy that breaks with Catholic sacrificial theology.
Takeaways for Those Seeking True Catholicism
Recognizing the Crisis in the Church
The modern Church is in a state of doctrinal and liturgical crisis. Those who recognize the errors of Vatican II must logically take the next step and reject its hierarchy.
Avoiding Una Cum Masses
According to Despósito, true Catholics must refuse to attend Masses that include Pope Francis in the Canon, as doing so acknowledges his authority and implicitly validates the post-Vatican II Church.
The Mass as the Centre of True Worship
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the ultimate act of worship. Any corruption of the Mass, whether by changes in the liturgy or by offering it in communion with a false pope, undermines its spiritual efficacy.
Rejecting the Novus Ordo as a False Rite
Despósito’s stance implies that the Novus Ordo Mass is not a valid Catholic Mass. Traditional Catholics must return to the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass, which preserves doctrinal purity.
Separation as a Necessity for Salvation
Just as St. Athanasius and other saints resisted heretical movements in the past, sedevacantists believe that separation from the modernist Vatican II Church is necessary to preserve the true faith.
Conclusion
Rev. Nicolás E. Despósito’s remarks serve as a powerful argument for the sedevacantist position. He presents Pope Francis as an agent of division, Vatican II as a rupture from true Catholicism, and the Una Cum Mass as an offense to God. His call for total separation from the modern Church echoes the warnings of pre-Vatican II popes and theologians who condemned doctrinal innovations and false ecumenism.
For those seeking to remain faithful to Catholic tradition, Despósito’s message reinforces the necessity of rejecting Vatican II and adhering strictly to the traditional Latin Mass, independent of the post-conciliar hierarchy.
