https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXJ2EB2iJ60Church Militant (a 501(c)4 corporation) is responsible for the content of this commentary. If you also seek the truth, then please consider joining Church Militant today by supporting our work. Sign up for a
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contact Church Militant with your questions, comments, or concerns, at anytime. And now, let's begin with today's
Vortex...
Even if he's a bad one — a really bad one.Following up on last week's
Vortex — when we talked about misinformation routinely being pumped out by Catholic social media types — it's time to dig a little deeper. One of the routine pieces of misinformation being bandied about is that Jorge Bergoglio is not really the pope. And let's hasten to say this right up front, so everyone is clear: The denial or heavy suggestion that Francis is not the pope is actually part of a larger agenda that is not specifically stated by many of these folks.
Many notable Catholic internet types want to drive people out of the Church and into the arms of the schismatic Society of Saint Pius X and the even more extreme sedevacantist group Society of Saint Pius V. Behind the scenes — meaning they won't come right out and tell you — they are in league with the schism. They will deny it's a schism, or they will say "it's complicated" or "it's not clear" or "there's not really a way to know."
First, those are lies told by them. Behind the scenes, they have cast their lot with schismatics. They just won't come out and tell you because maintaining the illusion of being neutral provides them with a cover to keep advancing this agenda. Make no mistake, they are all on board with the schism — 100% — and they need to have the "you know what" to come out and say it.
Pope John Paul called the SSPX "schismatic" when they broke away from the Church in 1988. Pope Benedict said their problems are "doctrinal," and they have no canonical standing and exercise no "legitimate ministries." Pope Francis, in the accompanying letter to his motu proprio
Traditionis Custodes, specifically called the SSPX "the schismatic movement of Msgr. Lefebvre."
That's three popes in a row. So if you have a problem with the schismatic SSPX being called "schismatic," take it up with the popes, not Church Militant. And further, you will never hear these social media "Catholic" outfits ever repeat these declarations of schism by the popes. That would completely derail their "it's-not-very-clear" strategy.
...A large piece of the strategy that drives people into schism is to constantly bash Francis and, without actually saying it directly, maintain he's not the pope. Some will say he's not the pope because Benedict was blackmailed into resigning and therefore was still the real pope. Benedict denied all that nonsense. Others will say Benedict did resign, but the conclave to elect Bergoglio was rigged. So while Benedict was no longer the pope, Francis is not either.
And still others will take the tack that Benedict actually resigned and the conclave was valid, but since Francis got elected, he has become a heretic and, therefore, now is no longer pope. It doesn't matter which of those three roads a person travels down. They each arrive at the same destination: "Francis is not the pope."
Once that seed is planted, the way is paved to now say, "Well then, the Church is no longer the Church and it really resides over here" — in what three popes have said is a schismatic movement. Viewers and supporters must understand how they are being played here.
There is an agenda behind the narrative that Francis is not the pope. Don't fall for it.Primary Video source and transcript continues here: https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/vort-francis-is-the-pope
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