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(LifeSiteNews) – The Catholics In the Storm conference aims to provide vexed and confused Catholics with a solid foundation of understanding the Catholic faith, which is assailed from within and without these days. The average Catholic has never been more confused than he is today under the constant barrage of weaponized ambiguities and (at least) material heresies emanating from Rome.

One of the matters covered in this one-day conference, made available on November 11, 2024, is the evidence that Jorge Mario Bergoglio has never been the valid Pope. I agree with fellow presenter, Professor Ed Mazza, about this although we disagree about which arguments most accurately get us there. I’m grateful for the chance to let LifeSiteNews readers evaluate the two perspectives for themselves.

I do not subscribe to the Substantial Error theory, which states that Pope Benedict XVI—dating back to his earlier writings as (later Cardinal) Joseph Ratzinger—was mistaken in his understanding of the office of the papacy. Some trad pundits have claimed that because the modernist Ratzinger falsely believed that the papacy could be bifurcated into the munus (office or gift) and ministerium (external functions or activities) when he resigned on February 11, 2013, his substantial error nullified his attempted resignation, and therefore he remained Pope.  

It is true that Canon 126 states, “An act placed out of ignorance or out of error concerning something which constitutes its substance or which amounts to a condition sine qua non is invalid.” I agree. But the evidence seems clear that the Holy Father knew exactly what he was doing when he composed his Declaratio by omitting the correct formula—namely, he did not resign the munus or juridical object of that which he resigned. In other words, he resigned “doing papal things” but not “being the Pope.” 

Pope Benedict XVI was a brilliant theologian who lectured in Latin at the PhD level for over 50 years, and was the hands-on editor of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which guided his Declaratio. He was well acquainted with Canon 332.2 “If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office (munus), it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone.”

RELATED: Doctor Edmund Mazza: Here’s why I believe the Bergoglian pontificate is invalid

I find it impossible, if not absurd, to believe he was too confused about the papacy to resign properly, despite the very harsh denunciations by some online trads. Indeed, as Italian author Andrea Cionci has shown, Pope Benedict XVI left many clues for us to discover that he intentionally retained the munus to protect the Church from the disaster he knew would follow with the Conclave that gave us the pro-homosexualist Bergoglio. Here are a few:

  • He kept wearing the white papal cassock and zucchetto
  • He misnamed his resignation letter, which should have been titled Renunciatio
  • He declined to alter the papal coat of arms in any way
  • He signed his name “Benedict XVI, PP” or “Pastor Pastorum” (Shepherd of Shepherds), the official suffix of Supreme Pontiffs. 
  • He imparted the Apostolic Blessing, which only Popes can do
  • He didn’t retire to Bavaria (his ardent wish under Pope John Paul II), but remained in the Mater Ecclesia Monastery in the Vatican
  • He never once unambiguously wrote “I am not the Pope, Francis is the Pope—obey him” although he does use mental reservation in answer to certain questions

The canonical crimes of the lavender San Gallen Mafia cardinals are well known, and are clearly in violation of the norms set forth in Universi Dominici Gregis (1995, Apostolic Constitution by Pope John Paul II), but as Cardinal Burke told me, this is hard to prove in a canonical forum.

No, the killshot piece of evidence is: you can’t be Pope if someone else is already Pope. 

So even if Cardinal Bergoglio were the holiest man who ever lived, the evidence shows that Pope Benedict retained the munus, or office, of the papacy and was the true Vicar of Christ until his death on December 31, 2022. (NB: Bergolio officially removed the title Vicar of Christ from the Vatican’s Annuario Yearbook in 2020). It is up to the cardinals elevated by Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II to resolve this crisis once and for all. 

Catholics In the Storm covers a lot more than the antipope evidence, however. Take advantage of the Early Bird price of $119 and learn the least you need to know to explain to yourself and others “Why be Catholic?”. 

WATCH: Is Pope Francis Really the Pope? LifeSiteNews Responds

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