One Cardinal states that there are only ten Cardinals who are Catholic … so what then of the Conclave?
Month: May 2025
He’s not wrong…
The Waaaaiting is the Hardest Part
From Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers back in 1981. Which is as long ago as 1981 was to 1937. Dang.
Keep praying, folks.
900 years ago, a Pope was validly elected by a minority of Cardinals via secret Conclave…could it happen again?
TLDR: On 14 Feb 1130, a small number of Cardinals assembled a Conclave in secret and elected Innocent II. Later that day, the full college assembled and elected (antipope) Anacletus II. While the first Conclave was obviously illicit and non-canonical, it yet produced a valid pope, backed by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church. Perhaps this is an option today, but they better hurry.
Above: St. Bernard supported the controversial conclave.
The Non-Canonical Conclave that Worked
Catholics need to face some hard facts concerning the election of the next Roman Pontiff. Of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote in the upcoming conclave, 110 have been created by Jorge Bergoglio—and only 89 votes are needed to secure election as Pope. Furthermore, among the “papabile,” only Cardinals Burke, Sarah, Muller and Ranjith are reliably orthodox. Under the circumstances, without some form of divine intervention, the next Pope will certainly be “left” of Joseph Ratzinger—and possibly, more left than Jorge Bergoglio.
As Bishop Joseph Strickland has warned the cardinal-electors:
If a public heretic, or a man who is reasonably suspected of being a public heretic, receives sufficient votes, faithful cardinals have an obligation to refuse to accept the validity of his election…
Your Eminence, if a false pontiff is presented to the world as the pope, I fear that many more souls will be lost. All those cardinals who consent to his invalid election will share that responsibility with him.
In the face of such an imminent danger, is there truly nothing that can be done except to bemoan and bewail after the fait accompli?
I believe there is.
I believe that Church history provides us a solution—perhaps the only solution—to this desperate situation.
In the early hours of February 14, 1130, Pope Honorius died. A handful of cardinals fearing the election of a particular candidate who might sully the Bride of Christ, dispensed with canon law and elected one of their own as Pope without even informing the rest of the college that the current Pontiff was dead. The new Pope was consecrated in the Lateran Basilica and took the name “Innocent II.”
When the rest of the cardinals learned about these early morning machinations, they immediately held their own conclave that afternoon, electing and consecrating “Pope Anacletus II.” Anacletus received the support of the majority of cardinals, clergy and lay people of Rome and after fighting in the streets between supporters of both claimants, Innocent fled Rome. Anacletus, on the other hand ruled from Rome for eight years, excommunicating Innocent and his supporters. But Innocent found a powerful protector in St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the greatest figure of twelfth-century Europe. The Cistercian abbot was a one-man dynamo in the cause of restoring Innocent to the Chair of Peter. The saint coaxed and cajoled the King of France, the King of England, and the Holy Roman Emperor in Germany along with scores of bishops and abbots into supporting Innocent as the rightful Pope until, in the end, only the Norman King of Sicily maintained his allegiance to Anacletus.
In 1138, Anacletus died, and St. Bernard then managed to convince his Roman successor to step down in favor of Innocent. Innocent then proceeded to convoke an ecumenical council of the Church, the Second Lateran Council in which he declared Anacletus an antipope and annulled all his actions.
How can this long forgotten episode in Church history provide a solution to our own impending disaster? Simply this. If the secret conclave in violation of canon law which produced Innocent II was subsequently validated and approved—why can’t the good cardinals of the Church do the same thing today? Why shouldn’t Cardinals Burke, Sarah, Muller et al not hold their own preemptive conclave and announce one of their own as the new Pope “Pius XIII” in order to avert an apostate from becoming “Francis II”? Possession is 9/10 of the law. Will all the heterodox bishops and the fake news media cry “schism”? Of course they will. But if world leaders like President Trump, Xavier Milei of Argentina and Giorgia Meloni of Italy, as well as faithful media backed the Traditional Pope (as did the Kings of Christendom 900 years ago) all that would matter is that he ultimately prevails even if the struggle took years as it did in Innocent’s case. As doctor of the Church, St. Alphonsus Ligouri teaches:
It makes no difference that in past ages some Pope was illegitimately elected or fraudulently usurped the Pontificate. It is sufficient that he be afterwards accepted by the whole Church, for by such acceptance, he is made the true and legitimate Pontiff.[1]
[1] St. Alphonsus Ligouri, Verita Della Fede, Part III, Ch. VIII
https://onepeterfive.com/the-non-canonical-conclave-that-worked/
On the Feast of Pope St. Pius V, may I ask why NYT faux “catholic” outlets are pushing Cardinal Prevost?
Happy Feast of Pope St. Pius V. His Collect is timely.
“It’s almost as if this prayer were pre-ordained by the Divine Providence for us, now, on May 5th, ARSH 2025, as we beg God for a True Pope who will restore the Church and crush her enemies.”
COLLECT: O, God, Who graciously chose blessed Pius as Supreme Pontiff, to crush the enemies of Your Church and to restore divine worship, grant that we may be guarded by his help and remain so steadfast in Your service that, having overcome the snares of all enemies, we may enjoy a lasting peace.
Now, consider this:
Cardinal Robert Prevost by Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock
Legacy and Catholic media promote one cardinal at the same time: Coincidence or campaign?
VATICAN CITY // In the lead-up to the May 2025 papal conclave, a notable pattern has emerged across legacy and Catholic media outlets: a surge of favorable coverage framing U.S.-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as a leading papal contender.
In the span of 36 hours, The New York Times, the National Catholic Reporter, England’s Catholic Herald, Crux, and The Pillar, all run highly positive profiles praising the alleged many virtues of American Cardinal Robert Prevost, former prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, presenting him as a frontrunner papabile.
This trend, visible in outlets spanning ideological spectrums, draws questions regarding its timing and selective emphasis amid unresolved questions about the cardinal’s handling of clerical misconduct cases.
The Catholic Herald, The Pillar, and Crux highlight Prevost’s administrative experience, including his role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, where he advised Pope Francis on global bishop appointments. His decades of missionary work in Peru and reputation as a “moderate, balanced figure” are repeatedly cited, with The Pillar noting his “heart of a missionary” and “years of ministerial experience.” The New York Times and The National Catholic Reporter underscore his multilingual skills and perceived diplomatic tact, framing him as a bridge between ideological divides.
Another commonality among the articles is that while acknowledging abuse-related complaints, the pieces often contextualize them defensively.
For example, a significant Chicago case — involving an Agustinian priest placed near a school in 1999 when Cardinal Prevost was his superior — is described as occurring “before the US bishops adopted new standards in 2002,” with Cardinal Prevost’s approval framed as a “formality.”
Allegations in Peru, where three women accused priests of abuse under his oversight, are countered with claims that Cardinal Prevost “opened an initial canonical investigation” and cooperated with civil authorities. The Pillar and Crux also cast doubt on the credibility of accusers’ legal representation, noting their canon lawyer, Ricardo Coronado, was later defrocked for misconduct.
The media profiles position Cardinal Prevost as a “pragmatic successor” to Pope Francis, allegedly favoring institutional stability over “radical reform.” Crux argues a Cardinal Prevost papacy would maintain Pope Francis’ “substance” but with “more pragmatic, cautious and discreet” leadership, while NCR emphasizes his “interest in dialogue.”
Read the rest: https://catholicvote.org/legacy-catholic-media-promote-cardinal-same-time-coincidence-or-campaign/
Good Shepherd Sunday: “I know my own and my own know me”
GOSPEL John 10:11-16.
At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
“My own know me.” The sheep know what’s what.
After trailing by 20 lengths, Sovereignty wins… what a name with the Conclave upon us
Sovereignty was 20 lengths back at the half mile mark, exploded in the turn!
Derby Day: Remembering Rich Strike as a proxy for the Conclave?
Prayer for the Election of the Roman Pontiff
The prayer I read at the end of the podcast, from Father Z:
Prayer for the Election of the Roman Pontiff
O God the Father Almighty, who at the beginning of creation calmed the primordial waters by the hovering of the Holy Spirit, deign swiftly to send the same Spirit upon Your Church for the purpose of electing the Successor of the Holy Apostle Peter, so that, the new Roman Pontiff duly elected, tranquility may be fostered and expanded.
O God, Lord Jesus, whose Body is the Church founded by You on the Apostle Peter, grant, we beg You, that you defend with angelic protection and strengthen with many graces the Cardinals whose task it is to elect his Successor, so that in these days before and during the Conclave, their words and deeds, for the true good of You Church, will result in peace and the salvation of souls.
O God the Holy Spirit, Paraclete, Divine Breath of the Trinity, deign to waft through all the locales and dwellings of the Cardinals-elect, on our knees we beg You, to repel diabolical schemes, to crush external forces, to bring clarity and serenity to Your Church.
O God, Most Holy Trinity, in Your infinite mercy and according to Your ineffable providence for the Church, inspire, guide and gently urge, if necessary even with supernatural signs, the Cardinals in the Conclave to grant us a good and wise Pope, a kindly but strong Shepherd, a faithful and reverent Vicar of Christ, a praying and prudent Successor of Peter, a Roman Pontiff who loves and preserves the customs of our forebears, a steadfast, pious, virile and holy man, namely, one better than we deserve. Amen.
Holy Mother of God, intercede for us.
Saint Peter, intercede for us.
Saint Paul, intercede for us.
All Holy Popes, intercede for us.
Barnhardt Podcast #223: Well? We’re Waiting….
In this barn-burner episode, Art and Ann are joined by NonVeni Mark and Dr. Mazza for a wide-ranging conversation about the upcoming Conclave, its validity, historical precedents, possible nefarious dark horse candidates, and cautious optimism and faith in the visibility and continuity of Jesus Christ’s Holy Church, outside of which there is no salvation.
To every Cardinal, Prelate, and Cleric who has spent the last twelve years repeating incessantly, “We just have to wait for Bergoglio to die…”, a weary world cries out in unison the immortal words of Judge Elihu Smails:
Dr. Mazza’s Current Mini-Course – The Next Pope: Apostasy or Hope?
Dr. Mazza’s Upcoming Class: Converts to the Catholic Church
Fr. Z’s and Cardinal Burke’s beautiful prayers for the Conclave and the Papacy
Fr. Z’s excellent piece on why this upcoming Conclave is presumed valid
Leftist Cardinal Sturla wiki page
Leftist Cardinal Prevost wiki page
Council of Constance NewAdvent encyclopedia page
Papal Election of ARSH 1130 wiki page
Feedback: the email address for the podcast is Ann@barnhardt.biz.
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