Answering Objections: "What about the Peaceful Acceptance of Novus Ordo Popes?" Defending Sedevacantism - Part 4
Refutation of the Video’s Objections
Summary
The video presents an objection to sedevacantism based on the doctrine of peaceful and universal acceptance of a pope. According to this doctrine, even if a pope’s election had canonical irregularities, those defects would be healed as long as the faithful as a whole accepted him as the true pope. This argument is used to assert that popes such as John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis must be legitimate since the majority of Catholics accepted them.
Rev. Anthony Cekada refutes this argument, exposing its circular reasoning and logical fallacies. He points out that:
The "universal acceptance" claim is not truly universal, since sedevacantists themselves reject these popes.
The claim assumes that the Novus Ordo establishment is the Catholic Church, whereas in reality, it is a false church born from modernist errors.
A false church can indeed become more widespread than the true Church (e.g., during the Arian Crisis).
Divine law—not human consensus—determines the validity of a papal election.
Papal Bull "Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio" (Paul IV, 1559) explicitly nullifies the election of any heretic to the papacy, even if universally accepted.
Thus, the so-called "popes" of Vatican II are not true popes, but heretical usurpers.
Key Quotes
1. Objection: "The faithful cannot be deceived. If the Church as a whole receives a man as pope, his legitimacy is assured."
“If however the faithful as a whole receive him as the Pope, that will heal in the root any kind of canonical deficiencies.”
✅ Refutation:
This argument is circular and presupposes that Vatican II’s faithful are the Catholic Church, rather than a false church.
If this logic were true, then the Arian bishops and their followers—who vastly outnumbered orthodox Catholics—would have been the true Church.
Canon Law (1917, Canon 188.4) states that a cleric who falls into heresy automatically loses his office—without need of further declaration.
🔹 Cekada’s Response:
“Heretics who are outside the Church confirm as the head of the Church another heretic who is outside the Church. Nice if you can manage it.”
📖 Catholic Teaching:
Pope Innocent III:
“The faith is so necessary for me that, though I have for my honor many persons under me, I am subject to the judgment of the faith. For he who does not have the faith is by that very fact already judged.”
(Sermo 2: In Consecratione, PL 217:656D)
2. Objection: "It is impossible that so many Catholics could be wrong and only the sedevacantists right."
✅ Refutation:
The idea that “the majority cannot be wrong” contradicts historical reality.
During the Arian Crisis (4th century), most bishops—including the Pope—fell into error. St. Athanasius stood virtually alone against them.
If numbers were the test of truth, then Islam, Protestantism, or even atheism could claim legitimacy based on their popularity.
🔹 Cekada’s Response:
“There seems to be no reason why a false Church might not become Universal even more Universal than the true one—at least for a time.”
📖 Christ’s Words:
“Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat.”
(Matthew 7:13)
3. Objection: "Universal acceptance validates a papal election."
“John of Saint Thomas supported the idea that universal acceptance validates a papal election.”
✅ Refutation:
Papal Bull "Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio" (Pope Paul IV, 1559) explicitly declares any heretical election null and void—even with universal acceptance.
Divine Law supersedes human consensus. A valid pope must be Catholic—an obvious necessity ignored by Novus Ordo theologians.
John of Saint Thomas lived under laws that made his argument moot—his writings do not override Catholic dogma.
📖 Pope Paul IV, "Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio" (1559):
“If ever at any time it shall appear that any Bishop, even if he be acting as Archbishop, Patriarch, or Primate; or any Cardinal of the aforesaid Roman Church; or, as mentioned above, any Sovereign Pontiff himself, has deviated from the Catholic Faith or fallen into some heresy, his promotion or elevation—even if it shall have been uncontested and by the unanimous assent of all the Cardinals—shall be null, void and worthless.”
Analysis
1. "Universal Acceptance" Does Not Make a Heretic Pope
Truth is not determined by numbers.
If universal recognition could validate a pope, then the entire Catholic hierarchy could defect into heresy, which contradicts the Church’s indefectibility.
Canon Law 188.4 automatically deposes a heretic, no matter how many support him.
2. The Catholic Church Has Always Taught That a Heretic Cannot Be Pope
Pope Paul IV (1559) nullified any election of a heretic.
Pope Pius XII (1945, "Vacantis Apostolicae Sedis") prohibited any changes to papal election rules during a sede vacante.
Vatican I (1870) affirmed that the pope must be the visible head of the Church—not a heretical usurper.
3. The Vatican II Popes Are Manifest Heretics
John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis have:
Denied Catholic dogma (e.g., religious indifferentism, ecumenism).
Participated in pagan worship (e.g., Assisi meetings, Pachamama).
Taught heresy contradicting previous magisterial pronouncements.
📖 Pope Pius IX, "Quartus Supra" (1873):
“If ever it should appear that any Bishop… or even the Roman Pontiff has deviated from the Catholic Faith or fallen into heresy, his promotion or elevation shall be null, void, and without force.”
Key Takeaways
The "universal acceptance" argument is logically and theologically flawed.
Heretics cannot elect a pope.
Divine Law (Canon Law 188.4, Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio) automatically removes heretics from office.
Mass apostasy has happened before (Arian Crisis, Great Western Schism).
Numbers do not prove truth.
The true Catholic Church is the remnant faithful to tradition.
The Vatican II popes are not legitimate.
Their teachings contradict Catholic dogma.
Their acceptance by a false church is irrelevant.
Sedevacantism remains the only consistent Catholic position.
Vatican II popes cannot be true popes.
The true Church continues among those faithful to pre-Vatican II doctrine.
Conclusion
The objections to sedevacantism presented in the video are fallacious and easily refuted. The Novus Ordo hierarchy is a false church, and its supposed "popes" lack any true authority. The only Catholic response is to reject Vatican II and its heretical claimants to the papacy.
