Grace Thompson
While the Catholic Church is a single denomination, with the Pope as its universal primate, there are some Catholics who do not recognize the Pope. The term for this is Sedevacantism, which originates from the Latin sede vacante, meaning with the chair being vacant. Sedevacantists believe that the claimants to the Papacy after the Second Vatican Council are non-Catholic Antipopes. This belief was first proposed by the Mexican Jesuit priest Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga in 1965, who claimed that Pope Paul VI was a crypto-Jew and an illegitimate Pope. Since then, various factions of Sedevacantists have elected their own popes. While some Catholics may disagree with the Pope or certain teachings, it is generally accepted that to be Catholic is to recognize the Pope, even if one does not always agree with or like the individual in office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sedevacantism | A traditionalist Catholic movement that holds that since the 1958 death of Pius XII, the occupants of the Holy See are not valid popes due to their espousal of one or more heresies and that, for lack of a valid pope, the See of Rome is vacant |
| Sedevacantists | Traditionalist Catholics who recognise the line of popes leading up to and including Pope Leo XIV as legitimate |
| Universalism | The belief that most people are "saved", and that being a "good person" will get you to heaven |
| Salvation | The belief that salvation is by God's grace, and that one must accept Jesus as their saviour, repent of their sins, believe, and be baptised |
| Inclusivity | 64% of Catholic women and 55% of Catholic men say the Catholic Church should be "more inclusive, even if that means changing some of its teachings" |
| Birth Control | The Catholic Church does not object to married couples using natural methods such as abstaining from sex during fertile periods, but objects to methods that prevent conception, such as condoms and hormonal birth control |
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What You'll Learn
- Sedevacantism: A traditionalist Catholic movement that rejects the legitimacy of popes since the death of Pius XII in 1958
- Salvation beliefs: Many Catholics hold beliefs closer to Universalism, believing good deeds are enough for salvation, diverging from Catholic doctrine
- Birth control: While the Church objects to birth control methods that prevent conception, many Catholics want the Church to permit their use
- Same-sex marriage: A majority of Catholics support the Church blessing same-sex marriages, despite official doctrine
- Gender roles: Most Catholics want the Church to be more inclusive, even if it means changing teachings on women's roles
Sedevacantism: A traditionalist Catholic movement that rejects the legitimacy of popes since the death of Pius XII in 1958
Sedevacantism is a movement within traditionalist Catholicism that rejects the legitimacy of the popes who have succeeded Pius XII, whose pontificate ended with his death in 1958. The term comes from the Latin sede vacante, meaning "with the chair being vacant".
Sedevacantists believe that the claimants to the papacy since the Second Vatican Council are not legitimate Catholic popes, but rather antipopes. This belief originated with a 1973 work by Mexican Jesuit priest Joaquín Sáenz Arriaga, who argued that Pope Paul VI was a crypto-Jew and an illegitimate pope. The idea was proposed by the radical right-wing secret society Los TECOS, based in Guadalajara, Mexico, and their spiritual director, Fr. Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga.
Another connected secret society, El Yunque, rejected this proposal, stating that Pope Paul VI was indeed the legitimate pope. Various factions of conclavists among sedevacantists have elected their own popes to end the perceived vacancy in the Holy See.
While Sedevacantism is a relatively small movement within Catholicism, it is not the only instance of Catholics expressing disagreement with or disapproval of the pope. For example, some American Catholics have expressed dislike for Pope Francis, citing his comments on issues such as youth unemployment and loneliness, which they believe should be focused on more pressing issues like abortion. There are also those who disagree with the pope's stance on "bedroom issues" such as divorce and adultery, which they believe the church should continue to oppose.
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Salvation beliefs: Many Catholics hold beliefs closer to Universalism, believing good deeds are enough for salvation, diverging from Catholic doctrine
While the Catholic Church teaches that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, many Catholics hold beliefs that diverge from this doctrine, leaning closer to Universalism. According to Pew data from 2008, most Catholics are closer to Universalists in their beliefs about salvation, thinking that being a "good person" is enough to attain heaven. This notion of "good deeds" being sufficient for salvation is a common thread among many modern Christians, who hold a quasi-universalistic view that most people are inherently "saved".
This perspective, however, contradicts the Catholic doctrine, which asserts that salvation is a process facilitated by God's grace and man's cooperation. Catholics believe that salvation is a lifelong journey of drawing closer to God by participating in the sacraments and embracing the grace that comes through them. They see salvation as a collaboration between God and man, where man's efforts are just as crucial as Christ's work. This belief in Semi-Pelagianism suggests that while only God can save us, we must work with Him to achieve our salvation.
The divergence between Catholic doctrine and the beliefs of many Catholics has implications for evangelization. Those who subscribe to Universalism may see little reason to evangelize, as they believe that most people will be saved regardless of their religious beliefs. This contrasts with the Catholic belief in the necessity of evangelizing to spread the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Despite the prevalence of Universalist-leaning beliefs among Catholics, the Catholic Church officially upholds the rejection of Pelagianism, the 5th-century heresy that suggested humans could earn their salvation through their own efforts. The Church emphasizes that salvation is a gift from God, accessible through repentance, faith, and baptism, rather than something that can be attained solely through good deeds.
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Birth control: While the Church objects to birth control methods that prevent conception, many Catholics want the Church to permit their use
The Catholic Church has long opposed artificial birth control methods, considering them to be intrinsically evil. This stance was formalized in 1968 by Pope Paul VI in his Humanae vitae, which explicitly condemned modern contraception. The Church's position is that the primary purpose of intercourse is procreation, and that any interference with the "male seed" is tantamount to murder.
However, the arrival of the birth control pill in 1960 led many to believe that the Church was about to change its stance. This was a time of reform, and the Vatican had already allowed women with irregular cycles to take the Pill to regularize their cycles and practice the rhythm method. John Rock, a Catholic physician who had carried out Pill trials, argued that the Pill was a "natural" form of contraception since it used the same hormones present in the female reproductive system and did not tamper with sperm.
Despite the Church's official ban, many Catholics disagree with this stance and use birth control regardless. A 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 76% of US Catholics thought the Church should allow birth control, and 98% of Catholics have used some form of birth control in their lives. Catholics for Choice is an organization that advocates for equal access to all forms of birth control, arguing that it is a Catholic social justice value and a lifeline for many.
While the Church hierarchy maintains its opposition to artificial contraception, there is a range of views among Catholics, with some taking a more liberal stance on birth control and advocating for individual conscience as the final arbiter of what is right or wrong.
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Same-sex marriage: A majority of Catholics support the Church blessing same-sex marriages, despite official doctrine
Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement that emerged following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958. Sedevacantists believe that the subsequent occupants of the Holy See are not valid popes due to their acceptance of heresies, and thus the See of Rome is vacant. This belief has led to the rejection of the revised Mass rite and post-Second Vatican Council popes, with some sedevacantists considering Pope Paul VI an illegitimate pope.
Now, regarding the topic of same-sex marriage within the Catholic Church, there appears to be a growing divergence between official doctrine and the sentiments of many Catholics. While the Catholic Church officially denies its blessing for same-sex marriages, asserting that marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman, there is a notable shift occurring. Pope Francis, in a document released on December 18, 2023, approved blessings for same-sex couples, marking a significant change in Vatican policy. This decision emphasizes that individuals seeking God's love and mercy should not be subjected to "an exhaustive moral analysis."
Despite this official stance, there are Catholics who support the blessing of same-sex marriages. In Belgium, all Roman Catholic bishops permitted blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in November 2022. Similarly, in Germany, over a hundred Roman Catholic churches celebrated blessings of same-sex marriages in May 2021 and May 2022, with the support of German Roman Catholic bishops. These actions reflect a willingness within certain Catholic communities to recognize and bless same-sex unions.
However, it is important to note that there is also opposition within the Catholic Church toward same-sex marriage. The Catholic Bishops Conference in Nigeria, for instance, supported legislation criminalizing same-sex marriage, considering it in line with the country's moral and cultural values. Similarly, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has been vocal in its opposition to the legal recognition of same-sex relationships. These conflicting perspectives within the Catholic Church highlight the complexities and ongoing discussions surrounding this issue.
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Gender roles: Most Catholics want the Church to be more inclusive, even if it means changing teachings on women's roles
While the Catholic Church has historically been patriarchal, with men serving as deacons, priests, friars, monks, brothers, and abbots, and women serving as nuns, religious sisters, and abbesses, there is a growing desire for change among Catholics.
A significant majority of Catholics want the Church to be more inclusive, even if it means changing some of its traditional teachings. This sentiment is more prevalent among Catholic women, with 64% preferring a more inclusive church, compared to 55% of Catholic men.
Catholic social teachings have often advocated for gendered distinctions, with women's roles strongly associated with motherhood, nurture, and domestic caregiving. Women have been discouraged from seeking fulfillment in work outside the home, and their participation in the labor force has been frowned upon. These teachings have contributed to a gendered imbalance and have shaped cultural conditioning that has relegated women to the margins of society and reduced them to servitude.
However, there are also those within the Church who argue that women's dignity and necessity within the Church are upheld by the Lord. For instance, John Paul II writes, "Non-admission of women to priestly ordination cannot mean that women are of lesser dignity, nor can it be construed as discrimination against them." Additionally, the Church has acknowledged that "biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated."
Despite these acknowledgments, the Church has been slow to adapt to modern gender ideologies. For example, the Church does not recognize gender as multiple, fluid, changeable, or self-chosen and opposes medical procedures aimed at transitioning to the opposite sex.
While the Church grapples with these issues, it is clear that a significant portion of its followers, particularly women, desire a more inclusive and egalitarian institution, even if it means departing from some traditional teachings.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Sedevacantists are a traditionalist Catholic movement that holds that since the 1958 death of Pius XII, the occupants of the Holy See are not valid popes. They believe that for a lack of a valid pope, the See of Rome is vacant.
Sedevacantists reject the revised Mass rite and post-conciliar church teachings, deeming the popes involved as false. They believe that the post-Second Vatican Council claimants to the Papacy operating out of the Vatican City are non-Catholic Antipopes.
The earliest example of Sedevacantism can be traced back to a group of traditionalist Catholics in Mexico, associated with the radical right secret society Los TECOS, based in Guadalajara. In 1965, Los TECOS leaders proposed that Paul VI was an illegitimate Pope due to his alleged crypto-Jewish beliefs.
Michel-Louis Guérard des Lauriers, a French Dominican priest, developed the Thesis of Cassiciacum in the 1970s. Several American priests of the Society of Saint Pius X, including Daniel Dolan, Anthony Cekada, and Donald Sanborn, were reportedly sedevacantists and were expelled by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
Yes, there is a saying, "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic." Even if a person who was baptized into the Catholic Church no longer attends Mass or actively practices the faith, they are still considered Catholic.
