Call for Resignation of Pope Francis
A group of 17 scholars and activists has released a comprehensive statement calling for Pope Francis to resign or be formally asked to resign by the College of Cardinals. The signatories claim that Pope Francis has “caused an unprecedented crisis in the Catholic Church” through his words and actions and has “done great harm to the Church and the whole world” since assuming the papal throne in March 2013.
In a statement released on May 2, the signatories emphasized that “the members of the hierarchy of the Church have a duty to act to prevent Francis from causing further harm.”
They stated "We therefore call for Pope Francis to resign the papal office, and to repent and do penance for his actions. If he does not do this, we request that the cardinals and bishops of the Catholic Church ask Pope Francis to resign the office of pope. If he refuses to resign or recant the heresies that he has upheld, we ask that they declare that he has lost the papal office."
Accusations against Pope Francis
The signatories attribute the “unprecedented crisis” to two main reasons: Pope Francis has committed criminal acts that have gravely damaged the Church and individual believers. He has shown that he rejects the Catholic faith and has worked to destroy the faith of other Catholics.
Signatories and Their Accusations
The seventeen signatories are a mixture of academics, activists, and one priest:
The lengthy statement details Pope Francis's interactions and dealings with several high-profile figures in the Church, such as Cardinals Godfried Danneels, Reinhard Marx, Theodore McCarrick, Wilton Gregory, and Víctor Manuel Fernández. The signatories assert that this list exemplifies Pope Francis's “record of protecting sexual abusers,” which they claim, “exemplifies his character and modus operandi.”
Specific Accusations
The signatories accuse Pope Francis of committing “crimes other than heresy,” claiming that his actions violate either canon law, the law of temporal states, the natural law, divine positive law, or some combination of these. They list specific examples, including:
1.?? Protection of Criminal Sex Offenders:
o?? Pope Francis has allegedly protected and promoted bishops and religious superiors who have covered up sexual abuse. Notable cases include:
§? Cardinal Godfried Danneels: Defended a catechism textbook that promoted pedophilia and protected a pedophile bishop.
§? Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick: Known for grooming and pressuring seminarians into homosexual relations. Despite being informed of McCarrick’s behavior, Pope Francis lifted restrictions on him and used him for significant tasks.
2.?? Idolatrous Worship:
o?? Pope Francis was involved in the veneration of the pagan idol Pachamama during the Amazon Synod in 2019. This act was perceived as idolatrous and contrary to Catholic teachings.
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3.?? Suppression of the Traditional Latin Liturgy:
o?? Through the motu proprio Traditionis custodes, Pope Francis has been accused of attempting to destroy the traditional Latin Mass, which was preserved and honored by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
4.?? Collaboration with the Chinese Communist Government:
o?? In 2018, Pope Francis concluded an agreement with China that permits the Chinese government to choose Catholic bishops. This agreement was renewed despite increasing persecution of Christians in China.
5.?? Approval of Blessings for Same-Sex Couples:
o?? The declaration Fiducia supplicans, issued with Pope Francis's approval, made provisions for priests to bless relationships based on adultery, fornication, or homosexual relations.
Historical Context and Wider Crisis
The signatories did not place all blame on Francis, stating that he is “a product of a wider crisis in the Church.” They provided a historical outline, noting that the roots of the current crisis can be traced back to the modernist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Modernism, which denied the existence of divinely revealed truths, was condemned by Pope St. Pius X. However, it resurfaced in a modified form in the 1930s. During the Second Vatican Council, neo-modernists achieved significant influence, leading to widespread doctrinal and moral corruption within the Church.
Demand for Action
The signatories demanded that cardinals and bishops act against Francis if he does not resign voluntarily. They stated: "It is a mistake and a sin for faithful bishops and cardinals to do nothing, in the hope that Pope Francis will soon die and be replaced by someone better. Pope Francis is causing unremitting harm day by day to souls and the Church. The faithful have a right to expect their believing shepherds to protect them from his attacks. These shepherds have a duty before God to protect them, and failure in this duty will bring eternal punishment upon them."
The statement urges the bishops and cardinals of the Church to make every effort to get Pope Francis to resign. While acknowledging that a papal resignation is “an extraordinary event that ought not to happen,” they argued that Francis’s resignation would be “the least evil outcome available.”
Should he not resign, the signatories argue that it is the duty of the bishops and cardinals to declare that he has lost the papal office for heresy. They petitioned the prelates to form a group to “publicly warn the faithful of his crimes and heresies. They state that his tenure of the papal office is in doubt due to his heresy, and admonish the faithful not to believe his statements or obey his orders unless it is clear on independent grounds that these statements and orders should be respected.”
?Conclusion
The statement concludes with a strong call for action, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and the moral imperative for the Church’s leadership to address the crisis:
"Pope Francis is manifestly unfit for the papal office. His fundamental offense against the office is unbelief. Since he no longer accepts the Catholic faith that it is his task as pope to uphold, he has a moral obligation to resign the papacy. The proper exercise of the papal office requires a high degree of natural and supernatural virtue. Pope Francis has shown that he lacks these virtues. Without belief in the Catholic faith, he lacks the knowledge and the graces needed to repent of his past sins, to correct the evils he has done, and to fulfill the duties of his office. Lacking faith, he also lacks all supernatural virtue. He has shown himself to be lacking in the natural virtues of prudence and justice. Even if he were to repent for his past sins, which is devoutly to be wished, he would remain unsuited for the papacy due to his flaws of character. The only good course of action open to him is to recant his heresies, express contrition for the harm he has done, resign the papacy, and devote the remainder of his life to prayer and penance."
The full statement, along with references and detailed documentation of the accusations, is available in the downloadable PDF.
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