Playing it Safe? Kennedy Hall and the Sedevacantist Wager

Who’s really on the safe side theologically?

Playing it Safe? Kennedy Hall and the Sedevacantist Wager

Kennedy Hall is a Canadian journalist, author, and internet pundit who falls squarely into the recognize-and-resist camp theologically.

On Oct. 21, 2022, writing for Crisis Magazine, Hall published a blog post entitled, “The Sedevacantist Wager”, in which he explains why he believes that, leaving aside all theological arguments, it is ultimately a much safer bet to accept Francis and his five predecessors as true Popes, as long as one sufficiently sifts their magisterium for whatever is heretical, erroneous, or otherwise dangerous to one’s soul.… READ MORE

Is the Pope an Absolute Monarch? The Authority of the Roman Pontiff in the Catholic Church

Clear ideas on a confusing subject…

Is the Pope an Absolute Monarch?
The Authority of the Roman Pontiff in the Catholic Church

True Vicar of Christ: His Holiness, Pope Pius XII (r. 1939-58)
(image: Sueddeutsche Zeitung Photo / Alamy Stock Photo)

We live in a post-Traditionis Custodes world. It is not surprising, therefore, that it has become more fashionable than ever now for recognize-and-resist traditionalists to try to find all sorts of ways to limit or downplay papal authority, lest they should actually have to submit loyally to the decree their extremely valid “Pope” Francis released this past July 16, which gradually phases out the Traditional Latin Mass.… READ MORE

Vaticanist Aldo Maria Valli: “Rome is without a Pope”

No, he’s not a Sedevacantist…

Vaticanist Aldo Maria Valli: “Rome is without a Pope”

(image credit for Francis silhouette shot: REUTERS/Alamy Stock Photo)

Aldo Maria Valli is a conservative Novus Ordo Italian journalist specializing in the affairs of the Vatican. He has authored a great many books, including Il Caso Viganò, Le Due Chiese, and 266: Jorge Mario Bergoglio Franciscus P.P.

Valli publishes the blog Duc in Altum, mostly in Italian. Although he has been critical of Jorge Bergoglio (“Pope Francis”) for a few years now, it was not until Feb. 21, 2021, that he released the following monograph in English (the Italian original came a day earlier):

… READ MORE

Apostolic Succession after Pope Pius XII: Where is the Catholic Hierarchy?

Why some Catholics hold to the ‘Material-Formal Thesis’…

Apostolic Succession after Pope Pius XII:
Where is the Catholic Hierarchy?

In recent weeks there has been a considerable amount of online controversy among sedevacantists about the so-called “Material/Formal Theory” regarding the status of the Novus Ordo hierarchy, especially its so-called “popes”. Some cling adamantly to this thesis because they believe it to be significantly helpful or even essential to a proper understanding of the situation in the Catholic Church today, whereas others repudiate it because they judge it to be misleading or even a danger to the Faith. There are also those “in the middle” who do or don’t subscribe to the thesis but simply consider it a possible theological option, one that it would not be prudent to spend much time fighting over.… READ MORE

No Bishop Pfeiffer: Feeneyite Fails at Attempt to Consecrate Bishop for SSPX-Resistance

Neal Webster botches episcopal consecration

No Bishop Pfeiffer: Feeneyite Fails at Attempt to Consecrate Bishop for SSPX-Resistance

Bp. Neal Webster mangles the essential words necessary for validity

Big news out of Boston, Kentucky: This past Wednesday, July 29, 2020, Bp. Neal Webster consecrated Fr. Joseph Pfeiffer a bishop for the SSPX-resistance. That, at least, is the official story. The truth is a bit more complicated.

But first, a little bit of context.

The Society of St. Pius X is a priestly society founded by Abp. Marcel Lefebvre (1905-1991) with the approval of the local Novus Ordo bishop in Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1970.… READ MORE

Viganò’s Theological Vortex: A Critical Commentary (Part 1)

A whirlwind of error and confusion…

Viganò’s Theological Vortex: A Critical Commentary
(PART 1)

In recent weeks, the now well-known former Vatican nuncio to the United States, “Abp.” Carlo Maria Viganò, has spoken at great length again about his position on the Second Vatican Council and the “conciliar sect” (his words) that emerged from it. On Sep. 1 and 3, respectively, the recognize-and-resist paper Catholic Family News published two of his latest monographs on its web site. They can be found in the following posts:

Upon reading these texts, we decided that a critical commentary on them would be fitting. … READ MORE

A Challenge to Recognize-and-Resist Apologists: Is it a Mortal Sin to adhere to Francis’ Teachings?

In light of Catholic teaching on the Papacy, that is…

A Challenge to Recognize-and-Resist Apologists: Is it a Mortal Sin to adhere to Francis’ Teachings?

The altar of the Chair of St. Peter in the Vatican

Day in and day out we hear from the recognizing-and-resisting semi-traditionalists that this or that error of Vatican II or the post-conciliar magisterium is “not binding.” In a recent live interview on YouTube, semi-trad darling John Salza repeated it once again.

For the sake of argument, we will accept that claim precisely as stated: Certain papal teaching is not binding. That means, of course, that it is optional to embrace — take it or leave it.… READ MORE

“For Fear of the Jews”: How the Novus Ordo Good Friday Prayer betrays the Crucified Christ

It’s John 7:13 all over again…

“For Fear of the Jews”: How the Novus Ordo Good Friday Prayer betrays the Crucified Christ

The Roman Catholic Church, in her loving kindness and care, having been entrusted by the Son of God with the mission to preach the Gospel and convert all men to the true Faith (see Mk 16:15-16), greatly desires the salvation of all people. Knowing that man was not made for this world, but for eternal beatitude in Heaven, she lovingly seeks to detach him from the state of sin he finds himself in and lift him up to the life of Faith and virtue through the grace merited by our Lord Jesus Christ, who declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.… READ MORE

Celebrate Ramadan-at-Home with “Cardinal” Vincent Nichols!

Vatican-approved!

Celebrate Ramadan-at-Home
with “Cardinal” Vincent Nichols!

Vincent Nichols is the Archlayman of Westminster, England. It was John Paul II who decided he should be a “bishop”, back in 1991. It was Benedict XVI who appointed him to Westminster in 2009. And it was Francis who made him a “cardinal” in 2014. Moreover, Nichols is currently the head of the Novus Ordo Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, making him the highest-ranking prelate in all of England.

With such sterling credentials, it is clear that Mr. Nichols is a man of Vatican II through and through. And that means practicing not just ecumenism but also interreligious dialogue.… READ MORE

Anticipating Antichrist: Francis hints at “Messianic Future” of Naturalist Heaven on Earth

Seeks “miracle of an ever wider ‘we’…”

Anticipating Antichrist: In World Migrant Day Message, Francis hints at “Messianic Future” of Naturalist Heaven on Earth

Few things allow the Argentinian apostate Jesuit and professional papal pretender Jorge Bergoglio (“Pope Francis”) to do his part to advance the globalist New World Order agenda more effectively than the topic of migrants and refugees. It allows him to exploit the natural human desire to help those in need by inculcating in people his pseudo-Catholic Masonic concepts of liberty, equality, fraternity, and open borders, thus placing the temporal over the eternal, the natural over the supernatural, man over Christ.… READ MORE

Dangerous Heresy in attractive Wrapping Paper: “Abp.” Viganò’s Letter to President Trump

Naturalism under the guise of conservative Catholicism…

Dangerous Heresy in attractive Wrapping Paper:
“Abp.” Viganò’s Letter to President Trump

The former Vatican nuncio to the United States, “Archbishop” Carlo Maria Viganò, has been hiding at an undisclosed location since August of 2018, after he publicly accused “Pope” Francis of having known about and covered up sexual abuse perpetrated by “Cardinal” Theodore McCarrick.

On June 6, 2020, Fr. Viganò — he’s a valid priest but not a bishop — released a 3-page open letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he encourages him to stay the course against malicious, infernal forces trying to overturn the current social order and impose what amounts to a globalist secular Marxist tyranny. … READ MORE

The “But we’ve had Bad Popes before” Objection

Is Francis a “bad father but still your father”?

The “But we’ve had Bad Popes before” Objection

With the recent idolatrous, heretical, and blasphemous circus surrounding the Amazon Synod, Novus Ordo and semi-traditionalist authorities and apologists are once again offering false solutions to their hapless followers, solutions aimed at mostly one thing: the continued acceptance of Jorge Bergoglio (“Pope Francis”) as the Pope of the Catholic Church, no matter how absurd and indefensible the idea may be — for the only truly intolerable view for them is that of Sedevacantism.

One of the most common objections one hears against Sedevacantism is, “But we’ve had bad Popes before” or, “A bad father is still your father!”… READ MORE

Viganò’s Theological Vortex: A Critical Commentary (Part 2)

“But prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Th 5:21)…

Viganò’s Theological Vortex: A Critical Commentary
(PART 2)

[Continued from PART 1]

Continuing with our critical assessment of the former Vatican nuncio “Abp.” Carlo Maria Viganò’s recent theological reflections, we now turn to his letter of Sep. 3, 2020, published by Catholic Family News the same day:

In that particular missive, Fr. Viganò complains of being charged with schism by his Novus Ordo opponents, but as we showed in Part 1 of our ongoing assessment, that point of criticism is justified.… READ MORE

Invalid Resignation or Invalid Election? Benedict XVI’s Denial of the Dogma of Papal Primacy

Reality check for Ratzinger fans…

Invalid Resignation or Invalid Election?
Benedict XVI’s Denial of the Dogma of Papal Primacy

It is fashionable these days to come up with all sorts of ideas and theories that render the resignation of “Pope” Benedict XVI on Feb. 28, 2013, invalid. This thesis, which we have nicknamed “Resignationism”, is very comforting to those semi-traditionalists and conservatives in the Vatican II Church who can see clearly that Francis is not a Catholic but a manifest apostate and yet will not, for whatever reason, countenance Sedevacantism as the correct alternative position that alone can explain the madness we have been witnessing since the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958.… READ MORE

“Bishop” Robert Barron on whether Protestants should become Catholics

Caution! Vatican II speak ahead…

“Bishop” Robert Barron on whether Protestants should become Catholics

The Novus Ordo Sect’s flagship American media bishop — a man who is considered hip, erudite, telegenic, and theologically middle-of-the-road — is Robert Emmett Barron.

Born in Chicago and now auxiliary “bishop” in Los Angeles, he is reputed to be a great and model evangelizer as he uses social and traditional media to spread knowledge and love of the Vatican II religion. Many years ago he founded an apologetics ministry called Word on Fire and produced a 10-part documentary grossly misnamed Catholicism, which aired on PBS and is available now on DVD and streaming.… READ MORE