Catholic Candle note: Sedevacantism is wrong and is (material or formal) schism. Catholic Candle is not sedevacantist.

Awhile back, a reader forwarded to us a question (below) which he found posted on a sedevacantist website. The question (which was directed to non-sedevacantists) troubled him. He asked how Catholics should respond to this question. We answer below, but change the name (Pope Francis) to reflect the current pope (Pope Leo XIV).

Below is the fifteenth article in a series which covers specific aspects of the error of sedevacantism. As context for this fifteenth article, let us recall what we saw in the earlier fourteen articles:

In the first article, we saw that we cannot know whether the pope (or anyone else) is a formal heretic (rather than a material heretic only) – and thus whether he is outside the true Catholic Church based simply on his persistent, public teaching of a heretical opinion.¹

Then, in the second article, we saw that we must not judge a man to be a formal heretic if he professes to be Catholic and says he believes what a Catholic must believe now, in order to be Catholic now. When a person professes a heretical opinion, we must judge him in the most favorable light (if we judge him at all). So, we must avoid the sin of rash judgment and we must not judge negatively the interior culpability of the pope and the 1.4 billion² people who profess to be Catholic. We must not judge they are not “real” Catholics if they tell us that they are Catholics. Instead, we should count them as Catholics who are very confused or are uninformed.³

Thus, we must judge the conciliar popes to have been material heretics, not formal heretics (if we judge them at all), and that each was pope in his turn until his death (or abdication). Regarding any of the world’s 1.4 billion self-described Catholics who hold heresy, we must judge them to be material heretics only (if we judge them at all), unless they themselves tell us that they know they don’t qualify to be Catholics.⁴

In the third article, we examined briefly the important difference between persons in authority who fulfill their duty to judge those under their charge in the external forum, as contrasted to a sedevacantist or anyone else except God who judges the interior culpability of other persons and (rashly) judges them to be formal heretics.⁵

In the fourth article, we saw that it does not help us to protect ourselves better from a conciliar pope’s heresy, to declare that we know he is not the pope and is not a Catholic.⁶

In the fifth article, we saw that it is possible for a pope to teach (or believe) heresy and in fact, popes have taught and believed heresy at various times during Church history.⁷ We looked especially at the cases of Pope John XXII and Pope Nicholas I, who both taught explicit heresy while pope and nonetheless continued to be the pope. Pope John XXII also taught the same explicit heresy before he became the pope.

In the sixth article, we saw that the Church infallibly assures us that we will have a pope at all times until the end of the world, except during very short interregnums between papal reigns, during which the Church is in the process of electing a new pope and during which the Church’s unified government continues to function.⁸ In this sixth article, we saw that we are not presently in an interregnum (even though the sedevacantists absurdly claim we are in a many-decades-long interregnum).

In the seventh article of this series, we saw that the Catholic Church is a visible Body and remains visible to all. The Catholic Church has a visible monarchical government and the pope is visible to all. Thus, we know we have a pope and that the one who is pope is visible (known) to all as the pope.⁹

In the eighth article, we saw that the necessary visibility of the Catholic Church and the pope, requires as a corollary that the one who virtually all Catholics see (i.e., believe) is the pope must be the pope, since the pope must be visible to all.¹⁰

In the ninth article, we addressed the superficial “argument” of sedevacantists (addressed to Catholics) saying that “if you think we have a pope, then you have to obey him in whatever he tells you to do”. We examined the true Catholic virtue of obedience and saw that we must not obey the commands of even a real superior like our pope, if/when he commands us to do something evil.¹¹

In the tenth article, we saw more deeply what schism is and how sedevacantism is inherently schism.¹²

In the eleventh article of this series, we saw more deeply how we should respond to a pope (or other superior) who does harm – viz., we should recognize his authority as pope but resist the evil of his words or deeds.¹³

In the twelfth article of this series, we saw how we ordinary Catholic laymen can know what the Catholic Truth is and how we can know when the pope (or anyone) is promoting error.¹⁴

In the thirteenth article of this series, we saw the falsehood of a related sedevacantist error (or “half-truth”), claiming that we have no pope because the conciliar popes had doubtful consecrations and/or ordinations.¹⁵

In the fourteenth article of this series, we considered another way to see that sedevacantism is wrong and sinful, viz., because it is the sin of revolution.¹⁶

In the fifteenth article of this series, we address a question which arises because we see that Leo XIV is Pope:

Does that mean we are in communion with him?

Below, we address that question.

All Catholics are in Communion with the Pope

Sedevacantists attempt to show that their own Catholicism is “exalted and pure” by saying that they are not, and would never be, connected with that man (who is our pope) because his words and deeds are often so problematic, scandalous, and heterodox.

So these sedevacantists attempt to pressure Catholics into becoming schismatics (like themselves), by urging those Catholics: “Don’t be in communion with that man (viz., the pope)!”, suggesting that somehow it is un-Catholic to be in communion with a bad pope.

So the question arises: Are we Catholics really in communion with the pope, even when he is a bad, scandalous pope or teaches heresy? In this article, we examine that question.

Answering a Sedevacantist Question

The sedevacantists’ question:

Are you in communion with “Pope” Leo and his religion?

Catholic Candle note: the quotation marks (around the word “Pope”) are in the sedevacantists’ original question, indicating they don’t believe he is a real pope. Again, though, the sedevacantists’ original question said “Francis” not “Leo”.

The sedevacantists’ question is deceptively-framed in two ways

1. We interpret the question’s reference to his religion, as a reference to the new conciliar religion (not Catholicism). Through this reference, the question sneaks in the assumption that Pope Leo has a single religion and it is not Catholicism. This sedevacantist ploy tricks an unwary Catholic into conceding this falsehood and participating in the sedevacantists’ rash judgment.¹⁷
   

2. The question is compound; that is, it is really two questions in one. Thus, it is deceptive (either intentionally or carelessly). The question seeks a single “yes or no” answer, but either answer would be false (see below our two-part, short answer).

Beware of sedevacantist traps for the unwary!

Two-part, short answer to the sedevacantists’ question

• Part one: All Catholics are in communion with Pope Leo.
  

However …

• Part two: No faithful and informed Catholics are members of (i.e., in communion with) the conciliar church (which is a false religion).

Summary of our full explanation below

1. Although Pope Leo does much evil, he is truly the pope and a member (as well as the head) of the Catholic Church.
   

2. To save our souls, we must be members of the Catholic Church.
   

3. Because all Catholics are joint members of the Catholic Church along with Pope Leo, all Catholics are in communion with him and with each other.
   

4. Although Catholics are joint members of the Catholic Church along with Pope Leo, this does not also make us members of whatever other groups he belongs to, including the conciliar church.
   

Below, we discuss each of these four points.

1. Although Pope Leo does much evil, he is truly the pope and a member of the Catholic Church.

As we have seen in past Catholic Candle articles, the Catholic Church infallibly teaches that we will always have a pope and we are not in a 67-year papal interregnum (as most sedevacantists pretend).¹⁸ (An interregnum is a period during which the papal throne is briefly vacant between the death (or abdication) of one pope and the election of a new pope).

Presently, our pope is Pope Leo XIV because he is visible to all (as a pope must be)¹⁹ and because virtually all Catholics accept him as pope (as is true of every pope).²⁰

Pope Leo is a bad pope and a bad father.²¹ We must oppose the evil he does²² but must avoid the sedevacantists’ (objective) mortal sins of rashly judging his interior culpability and of denying that he is the pope or is even Catholic.²³

This is like a child who has a bad father denying the paternal relationship. That would be wrong. Instead, if the father is bad, then the child must still recognize the paternal relationship and his father’s authority but also refuse to be led astray if his father attempts to cause him to sin.

2. To save our souls, we must belong to the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church infallibly teaches that Outside the Church there is no Salvation.²⁴ Thus, to save our souls, it is absolutely necessary that we are members of the Catholic Church.

3. Because all Catholics are joint members of the Catholic Church, with Pope Leo, we are in communion with him.

“Communion” is the mutual connection between members of the Catholic Church.²⁵

All Catholics are in communion with the pope and with each other because we are all mutually connected as members of the Church under one head, the pope. Id.²⁶

A person can only belong to the Catholic Church by being in communion with all Catholics, under one head, viz., the reigning pope.²⁷ Without being in communion with the pope and all other Catholics, a man is in schism and is outside the Catholic Church.²⁸

4. Although Catholics are joint members of the Catholic Church with Pope Leo, this does not make us members of whatever other groups he belongs to, including the conciliar church.

Everyone is a member of many groups. For example, at the same time, a person can be:

• a son in one group (a particular family);
  

• a father in another group (a different family);
  

• an employee in another group (his corporate employer);
  

• a coach in another group (a sports team);
  

• a parishioner in another group (a parish);
  

• a member of a civic orchestra group;
  

• a member (i.e., resident) of his state or province;
  

• a member (i.e., citizen) of his country;
  

• a member of volunteer civic or religious organization;
  

• perhaps a member of the true Catholic Church;

• perhaps a member of the conciliar church or some other false religion²⁹; and
  

• perhaps a member of the Freemasons.

Pope Leo, like everyone else, is a member of many groups. Because we are members of the Catholic Church with Pope Leo and acknowledge that he is pope, this does not make us members of any other group to which he belongs. So, for example, we do not become Americans, Peruvians, Chicagoans, Augustinians, or White Sox fans, merely because he is a member of those groups. Similarly, we are not members of (in communion with) the conciliar church³⁰ simply because he is.³¹

Conclusion

All Catholics are in communion with Pope Leo because we are members of the Church which he governs as pope. Every Catholic is also in communion with all other Catholics, including mainstream “new mass” Catholics.

Our joint membership with Pope Leo XIV in the Catholic Church does not make us joint members (with Pope Leo) of the conciliar church.

To be continued …

Catholic Candle Addendum:

There is No Such Thing as “Partial Communion” with the Catholic Church

From the above article, we see that all persons who are members of Christ’s Mystical Body are Catholics and only they can go to heaven, since There is No Salvation Outside the Catholic Church.

We see from the above article that all Catholics are in communion with all other Catholics and with the Pope, since this is what it means to be Catholic and not be a schismatic.

As St. Thomas teaches:

Now the unity of the Church consists in two things; namely, in the mutual connection or communion of the members of the Church, and again in the subordination of all the members of the Church to the one head, according to Col. 2:18, 19: “Puffed up by the sense of his flesh, and not holding the Head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, groweth unto the increase of God.” Now this Head is Christ Himself, Whose viceregent in the Church is the Sovereign Pontiff. Wherefore schismatics are those who refuse to submit to the Sovereign Pontiff, and to hold communion with those members of the Church who acknowledge his supremacy.

Summa, IIa IIae, Q.39, a.1, respondeo (emphasis added).

Noah’s Ark is a figure of the Catholic Church, since all persons outside the Ark perished – just as all persons outside the Catholic Church perish and do not go to heaven. Just as no persons were “partially” in Noah’s Ark, likewise there are no persons who are partially in Christ’s Mystical Body or in “partial communion” with the Catholic Church.

The conciliar church promotes the heresy that a person can be in “partial communion” with the Catholic Church. Vatican II promotes this heresy in many places, for example:

For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Without doubt, the differences that exist in varying degrees between them and the Catholic Church whether in doctrine and sometimes in discipline, or concerning the structure of the Church do indeed create many obstacles, sometimes serious ones, to full ecclesiastical communion. The ecumenical movement is striving to overcome these obstacles. … But even in spite of them it remains true that all who have been justified by faith in baptism are incorporated into Christ.

Unitatis Redintegratio, §3, (emphasis added).

But there is no partial communion with the Church! “Whosoever … is not united with the Body is no member thereof, neither is he in communion with Christ its Head.” Pius XI, Mortalium Animos Jan. 6, 1928, §15.

Conclusion

Thus, we see that the same dogma that teaches us that all Catholics are in communion with the pope, also shows us that the conciliar church teaches heresy when it teaches that persons in heretical sects can be in “partial communion” with Christ and His Mystical Body.