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

Below is the seventeenth article in a series which covers specific aspects of the error of sedevacantism. As context for this seventeenth article, let us recall what we saw in the earlier sixteen 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 claim 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 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 recognize what the Catholic Truth is and how we can know when the pope (or anyone) is promoting heresy or other 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 saw that even though Pope Leo XIV is objectively a very bad pope, all Catholics are in communion with him, since this is an essential condition of being Catholic and not schismatic.¹⁷

In the sixteenth article of this series, we considered the position (and saw the error) that those who pray for the pope in the Canon of the Mass are declaring that they adopt his errors.¹⁸

Now, in the seventeenth article of this series, we consider we must have a pope because the Fatima apparitions show that a pope will consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Revelations to Sister Lucy of Fatima Show That the Catholic Church has a Pope Now

Part 17

The Catholic Church infallibly teaches that there will always be a pope.¹⁹ For example, the First Vatican Council infallibly teaches us:

If anyone says that it is not by the institution of Christ the Lord Himself (that is to say, by Divine Law) that blessed Peter should have perpetual successors in the primacy over the whole Church; or that the Roman Pontiff is not the successor of Blessed Peter in this primacy, let him be anathema.²⁰

This dogma fits perfectly with the revelations given to Sister Lucy (one of the Fatima seers) in connection with Our Lady of Fatima’s request (and her Son’s command) for the consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart.

The Fatima Request that the Pope and Bishops Consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima revealed that God Wills that Russia be consecrated to her Immaculate Heart. Our Lady promised to come later and, at that later time, to ask for the consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart. Here are her words in 1917:

I shall come [viz., in 1929] to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, by the Holy Father and all the bishops of the world. If my request is heeded [i.e., promptly], Russia will be converted and there will be peace. If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecution against the Church.²¹

On this same day in 1917, Our Lady of Fatima revealed to the three Children of Fatima that the pope definitely will consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart and through this means God will grant peace. However, as shown further below, this consecration will be greatly delayed. Here are Our Lady’s words in 1917:

The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she [viz., Russia] shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.²²

Then Our Lady of Fatima came to Sister Lucy (one of the Fatima seers) in 1929 and told her:

The moment has come when God asks the Holy Father to make, in union with all the bishops of the world, the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save [viz., Russia] by this means.…²³

In 1929, Our Lord assured Sister Lucy that the pope and bishops would actually perform this consecration – but only after a long delay. Here are Sister Lucy’s words describing Our Lord’s revelation to her:

Later on, by means of an interior communication, Our Lord said to me, complaining: “They [viz., Pope Pius XI and the bishops of the world] did not want to heed My request! … Like the King of France, they [viz., the pope and bishops of the world] will repent and do it, but it will be late.²⁴

Again, in 1931, Our Lord assured Sister Lucy that the pope and bishops will perform this consecration – but He revealed that there will first be a long delay. Here are Sister Lucy’s words describing Our Lord’s revelation to her:

By means of an interior communication, Our Lord said to me, complaining: Make it known to My ministers [viz., the pope and bishops], seeing that they follow the example of the King of France in delaying the execution of My demand, they will also have to follow him into misfortune. Like the King of France, they [viz., the pope and bishops of the world] will repent and do it [viz., the consecration], but it will be late.²⁵

Thus, from these revelations to Sister Lucy, we know that there will be a pope and bishops who will actually perform this consecration in obedience to Heaven’s request (although “it will be late”).

The Catholic Church has a full hierarchy (a pope and bishops), although they might not possess Episcopal sacramental power because of their doubtful conciliar consecrations.

The consecration of Russia does not require Episcopal sacramental powers.²⁶ This consecration must be performed by the Catholic Church’s rulers, who govern the Church.

Previously, we saw that the Catholic Church continues to have a full hierarchy (a pope and the local ordinaries of the dioceses of the world) and that the Church leaders’ jurisdictional power (authority to govern) remains.²⁷ It is these bishops (the local ordinaries), who must join the pope to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

This Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Has Not Yet Occurred and so There Must Still be a Pope and Bishops to do this in the Future.

The pope and bishops have not yet consecrated Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the way that Our Lord commanded.²⁸ Our Lord promised that this consecration would occur although He predicted “it will be late”. Because this consecration requires a pope and bishops with jurisdiction, this shows indirectly that a pope (and bishops with jurisdiction) exists now, because otherwise there would not be means through which to elect a future pope (who appoints the future bishops).

Sedevacantists deny we now have a pope, so they concoct false scenarios imagining how a future pope could take office 68 years after the last pope they recognize.

We Catholics recognize the Catholic Church continues to be governed by a pope and bishops (scandalous though they are) and that the present Church leaders (or their successors) are the ones who will consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The contrast could not be greater, between the Catholic truth (that we have a full Church government) and the empty, sedevacantist position – viz., there is no one exercising the jurisdiction of the Church: no pope, no cardinals, no local ordinaries, no Church government!

Our Lord’s prophecy (viz., that the pope and bishops will perform the consecration but it will be late) is an unsolvable problem for the sedevacantists. They have no credible answer to this question:

From where will the pope and bishops come, who will consecrate Russia?

The sedevacantists’ fuzzy answer is that “somehow” there will be a pope and bishops in the future. Some sedevacantists (wrongly) suppose that perhaps God will choose a pope by some future, currently-unknown miraculous sign.

In any event, if the sedevacantists were correct (which they are not) that the Church has not had a pope in 68 years, there could be no future pope of the Catholic Church (who could perform the consecration of Russia in union with the bishops then in office).

If (as the sedevacantists claim) there has been no pope for 68 years, then any such future pope (who would “somehow” come into office to perform the consecration of Russia) would not reign over the same Catholic Church which has existed continuously from the time of Our Lord. Instead, such future pope (falsely imagined by the sedevacantists) would be part of a restored papal monarchy and a re-founded hierarchy which would be part of a different “church”.²⁹

As explained more fully below, there are two reasons why the sedevacantists’ (imagined) future “church” would not be a continuation of the true Catholic Church founded by Christ:

1. There would be no continuity between the true Catholic Church founded by Christ, and a (supposed) future “church” with a re-established government; this gap (discontinuity) would mean that the second “church” would be a different “church”.

2. Christ founded a Church with a succession of human vicars chosen by men, not by miraculous Divine selection.

Each of these reasons will be discussed below.

1. There would be no continuity between the true Catholic Church founded by Christ, and a (supposed) future “church” with a re-established government; this gap (discontinuity) would mean that the second “church” would be a different “church”.

The very essence and definition of the Catholic Church includes the concept of a continuous government by the Catholic Church’s living authorities ruling over the Catholics then living. This definition of the Catholic Church does not require that those leaders are virtuous, holy or faithful.³⁰ However, the Church’s very nature (definition) requires that there must be continuous Church government, i.e., a continuous Church hierarchy.

The very definition of the Church tells us that the Church will continuously have a hierarchy and government. For example, The Catechism of St. Pius X teaches:

Q. What is the Catholic Church?

A. The Catholic Church is the Union or Congregation of all the baptized who, still living on earth, profess the same Faith and the same Law of Jesus Christ, participate in the same Sacraments, and obey their lawful Pastors, particularly the Roman Pontiff.³¹

Again, this definition shows the Catholic Church will always have a living hierarchy which has authority over us. However, this continuity of Church government in no way implies that this hierarchy will be good or that we must blindly “obey” our superiors when they tell us to do evil.³²

The Baltimore Catechism similarly defines the Catholic Church as having a living human government:

Q. What is the Church?

A. The Church is the congregation of all those who profess the faith of Christ, partake of the same Sacraments, and are governed by their lawful pastors under one visible Head.

Quoted from The Baltimore Catechism #3, Q. 489 (emphasis added).

If (as the sedevacantists wrongly suppose) there has been no hierarchy for 68 years, and further (as they imagine) that the hierarchy will “pop” into existence “miraculously” in the future, then this many-decades gap in Church government would result in a new or a re-founded “church”. This (supposed) future “church” would not be the same as the Catholic Church founded by Christ, because there would be many decades during which there was no Catholic Church that fit Her definition given above (which includes a continuously-existing unified government of living men who have authority over us).

This many-decades gap (imagined by the sedevacantists) between Pope Pius XII and the next pope would destroy the continuity of the Church, just as would a 68-year gap during which no one professed the Catholic Faith. Any gap in the Church’s government or Faith would discontinue the Church because She would no longer fit Her definition during those decades.

Thus, the sedevacantists are wrong that, after many decades without a Church hierarchy and government (as they falsely imagine), the supposed later revival of a hierarchy would be the same, true Catholic Church.

2. The Church that Christ founded has a succession of human vicars chosen by men, not by miraculous Divine selection.

Our Lord founded His Church with a perpetual government whose leaders are chosen by human means: election of a pope by men (not by miracle), and the pope ensures the appointment of bishops to govern the Church’s dioceses.

The sedevacantists’ error causes them to deny the continuation of those human means through which the Catholic Church’s government is perpetuated.

Conclusion of this Article

Our Lord prophesied that there will be a future pope who (together with the Church’s bishops) will consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This prophecy shows that there is a pope now. Therefore, the Seat of Peter is not vacant. We have a pope.