Answers to the Most Common Objections Against Sedevacantism

By Brother Michael Dimond and Brother Peter Dimond, O.S.B.

Source: vaticancatholic.com

Pope Vigilius, Second Council of Constantinople, 553: “… we bear in mind what was promised about the holy Church and Him who said the gates of Hell will not prevail against it (by these we understand the death-dealing tongues of heretics)…” (Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, Sheed & Ward and Georgetown University Press, 1990, Vol. 1, p. 113.)

There are many objections launched against the sedevacantist position – that is, the position expounded in this book according to which the Chair of St. Peter is vacant because the post-Vatican II “popes” are not true popes, but non-Catholic antipopes.  We will now address all of the major objections that are launched against this position.

We have addressed in much detail the major objections launched against the sedevacantist position.  We can see that there is nothing in the teaching of the Catholic Church which should cause one not to accept the undeniable fact that the Vatican II sect is not the Catholic Church, and that the men who have headed this sect (the post-Vatican II “popes”) are not popes at all, but non-Catholic antipopes.  On the contrary, there is undeniable proof for this position and every reason to accept it.

• Objection 1): The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church, as Christ said (Matthew 16). He said He would be with His Church all days until the end of the world (Matthew 28). What you are saying is contrary to the promises of Christ.
• Objection 2): What's your authority for making these judgments? Your use of dogmatic statements is private interpretation.
• Objection 3): You cannot know if someone is a heretic or denounce him as such without a trial and declaratory sentence.
• Objection 4): What about material heresy? Can't the Vatican II Popes only be material heretics?
• Objection 5): The Church cannot exist without a pope, or at least it cannot exist for 40 years without a pope, as Sedevacantists say…
• Objection 6): Vatican I's definitions on the perpetuity of the Papal Office contradict the claims of the sedevacantists.
• Objection 7): No one can judge the Holy See… thus the Vatican II popes are true popes.
• Objection 8): St. Robert Bellarmine said that one cannot depose a pope, but that one can licitly resist him. Sedevacantists judge, punish and depose the pope…
• Objection 9): Pope Liberius gave in to the Arian heretics and excommunicated St. Athanasius, yet he remained the pope…
• Objection 10): Pope Pius XII declared in Vacantis Apostolicae Sedis that a cardinal, no matter what excommunication he's under, can be elected pope.
• Objection 11): What does it matter whether or not Benedict XVI/Francis is a pope? The issue does not concern me.
• Objection 12): How could the entire Church and all the cardinals recognize an antipope, such as in the case of John XXIII (1958-1963)?
• Objection 14): Pope Honorius was condemned for heresy by a general council after his death, yet the Church does not consider him to have ceased to be pope, even though he was accused of heresy during his reign.
• Objection 15): The Church and the hierarchy will always be visible. If the Vatican II Church is not the true Catholic Church, then the Church and hierarchy are no longer visible.
• Objection 16): The Vatican II popes haven't taught manifest heresy, because their statements are ambiguous and require commentary.
• Objection 17): Both the 1917 and 1983 Codes of Canon Law teach that a declaration is needed for one to lose his office due to heresy.
• Objection 18): The Council of Constance condemned the idea that a heretic would cease to be the pope.
• Objection 19): The Joint Declaration with the Lutherans is not manifest heresy because John Paul II and Benedict XVI didn't sign it.