Sedevacantism

Some people have a special belief.

They think the leader of the Catholic Church is gone. This group is called sedevacantists. They do not like new rules. They want to keep the old ways.

They believe the recent leaders are not true popes. This is because they do not like changes made years ago. These changes happened at a big meeting.

One priest named Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga helped start this idea.

He lived in Mexico.

Some people in this group even pick their own leaders. They want to end the empty seat.

It is hard to know how many people believe this. There may be many thousands of them.

Some people have a very specific belief about the Catholic Church. They are called sedevacantists. The name comes from a Latin phrase. It means "the chair is vacant."

These people believe the seat of the Pope is empty. They think the leaders in the Vatican are not true popes. This idea started because of changes made at a big meeting. This meeting was the Second Vatican Council. It happened between 1962 and 1965.

A priest in Mexico named Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga was a key figure. He wrote books about these ideas. He believed the new ways went against old teachings. Some members of this group think the last true pope was Pius XII. Others think it was even earlier.

They use ideas from thinkers like Robert Bellarmine to explain why. They believe a leader who teaches wrong things loses his power. This happens automatically. Because of this, they say the chair is empty. Some small groups even try to elect their own popes. We do not know exactly how many people follow these views. There could be tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands.

Sedevacantism is a specific belief held by some traditionalist Catholics. The name comes from a Latin phrase, "sede vacante," which means "the chair being vacant."

In the Catholic Church, a "see" is the seat of a bishop. Usually, a see becomes vacant when a leader dies or leaves. This period lasts until a new person is chosen. However, sedevacantists believe the Papacy itself is currently empty. They argue that the people living in the Vatican are not true popes. They believe these leaders are actually "antipopes" who do not hold real authority.

This movement started because of changes made during the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965. These changes involved new ways of worship and new ideas about other religions. Sedevacantists believe these changes go against the old, traditional teachings of the Church. They specifically disagree with the New Order of Mass started in 1969. They feel these new rules are wrong and even blasphemous. Because they believe the teachings are false, they conclude the leaders must be false too. This makes them reject the authority of the popes who made these changes.

The roots of this idea can be found in Mexico during the 1960s. A Jesuit priest named Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga was a very important pioneer. He was part of a group in Guadalajara called Los TECOS. In 1971, he wrote a book called "The New Montinian Church." This book helped bring these private ideas into the public eye. He argued that Pope Paul VI was not a legitimate pope. Later, in 1973, he wrote another book that gave the movement its name.

Different groups within this movement have different ideas about history. Some believe the true papacy ended with the death of Pius XII in 1958. Others believe the problem started even earlier with Pope Benedict XV in 1914. To explain their views, they often look to old thinkers. Some follow the ideas of Robert Bellarmine. He suggested that a pope who teaches wrong things loses his office automatically. This means no formal process is needed to remove them. Other followers, like the Dominican faction, believe a formal council must step in.

Today, it is hard to know exactly how many sedevacantists there are. Estimates say there are between tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of followers. Some very small groups have even tried to elect their own popes. These people are sometimes called "conclavists." Notable names in these small groups include David Bawden and Victor von Pentz. Most sedevacantists, however, do not follow these self-elected leaders. They remain focused on their belief that the true chair of Saint Peter is waiting to be filled correctly.

Sedevacantism is a specific movement within traditionalist Catholicism. The term comes from the Latin phrase "sede vacante," which means "the chair being vacant."

In the Catholic Church, a "see" refers to the seat of a bishop. Usually, a see becomes vacant when a leader dies or is removed. This vacancy lasts only until a successor is chosen. However, sedevacantists believe the Papacy itself is currently empty. They hold that the leaders in the Vatican are not valid popes. Instead, they argue these individuals are "antipopes" who lack true authority.

The movement is rooted in a rejection of changes from the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). Sedevacantists disagree with the council's documents on religious liberty and ecumenism. They believe these ideas contradict traditional Catholic teachings. They also reject new disciplinary norms, such as the New Order of Mass from 1969. To them, these changes undermine the historical faith. They argue that because the teachings are false, the leaders issuing them cannot be true popes. This creates a fundamental break from the current Church hierarchy.

The origins of this belief can be traced to the 1960s. In Mexico, a group called Los TECOS held radical views. Their spiritual director, the Jesuit priest Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga, was a key pioneer.

In 1965, Los TECOS leaders proposed that Pope Paul VI was an illegitimate pope. While another group, El Yunque, rejected this idea, a split occurred in the Mexican traditionalist scene. In 1971, Sáenz y Arriaga published "The New Montinian Church." This work brought these private suspicions into the public sphere. He later wrote "Sede Vacante: Paul VI is Not a Legitimate Pope" in 1973. This book helped define the movement and provided its name.

Different factions within the movement hold different views on history. Some believe the "Great Apostasy" began with the Second Vatican Council. Others argue the vacancy started with the death of Pius XII in 1958. Some even trace the issue back to 1914 with Pope Benedict XV. These followers believe earlier popes were also part of the problem. These varying timelines show how complex the movement's history is. Each group uses different historical markers to justify their stance.

To justify their position, sedevacantists look to theological authorities. Some follow the Jesuit theologian Robert Bellarmine.

Bellarmine argued that a pope who becomes a "manifest heretic" loses his office automatically. This means no formal legal procedure is required to end his authority. Other followers, such as the Dominican faction, disagree. They follow thinkers like Charles-René Billuart.

This group believes a heretical pope must be removed by a General Council. This led to the "sedeprivationist" thesis, which claims claimants are popes "materially but not formally."

In the United States, the movement grew through various organizations. The Orthodox Roman Catholic Movement was founded in 1973 by Fr. Francis Fenton. Another major figure was Francis Schuckardt.

He founded the Traditional Latin Rite Catholic Church (TLRCC). While these groups vary, they all share a focus on traditional rites. They often operate independently of the mainstream Catholic Church. Their existence highlights deep divisions regarding religious authority and tradition.

It is difficult to measure the exact size of this movement. Estimates suggest there are tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of followers. Some small factions are known as "conclavists." These individuals attempt to end the perceived vacancy by electing their own popes.

Notable examples include David Bawden and Victor von Pentz. However, these self-elected leaders have gained very little credibility. Most sedevacantists remain focused on the belief that the See of Rome is waiting for a truly legitimate successor.