Bulletin Q&A article, published 2-26-23:
What is Sedevacantism?
When I first received this question, I didn’t have a clue about Sedevacantism, and so it was of great interest to me. Sedevacant comes from the Latin sede vacante which translates in English as the seat is vacant. The seat in question is the seat of Peter, the Holy See. When a pope dies, there is a period of time before a new pope is elected to succeed him. During this usually short period of time, the seat is vacant.
There are Sedevacantists, however, who believe that the papacy is currently vacant. There are different reasons for believing this, and some of them sound like conspiracy theories. One group believes that John XXIII was not elected in 1958. According to them, Cardinal Giuseppe Siri was actually elected to replace Pius XII, and took the name Gregory XVII, but he was forced to abdicate the papacy under threats of violence by enemies of the Church. John XXIII took his place, but he and all his successors are not considered true popes. Siri passed away in 1989 and his pontificate was supposedly passed on to some, as yet unknown, successor.
Another group of Sedevacantists believes that Pope John Paul II didn’t really die in 2005, but that his death was faked so that he could go into hiding from enemies trying to kill him. Therefore, they claim that Pope Benedict and Pope Francis are not true popes.
But it appears to me that the main reason that people follow Sedevacantism is because of issues with the Second Vatican Council. They believe that some of the teachings from the council were heretical. Therefore, all those that have claimed to be pope since the council are considered, by them, to be heretics because they have supported the council’s teachings. Their concerns about Vatican II are often founded on misinterpretations that were spread based on the “Spirit of Vatican II”, rather on the actual documents. Vatican II was convened to address pastoral issues, not theological issues. Theological statements that came out of the council were merely affirmations of long standing Church teaching, sometimes with clarifications to address our modern times.
Canon law states: “Schism is the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff” (751), which is a very serious matter. Since Sedevacantists deny the authority of the pope, they are in schism, and as a result are subject to a latae sententae, automatic,excommunication. They conduct traditional liturgies, but refuse to mention Pope Francis’ name in the Eucharistic Prayer.
If you have friends or relatives who are Sedevacantists, you must pray for them. They have strong convictions, and their hearts must be softened. In your discussions with them, you should encourage them to research and investigate the true teachings of Vatican II for themselves, and not follow others blindly, because their actions are very grave matter. Be careful, unless you are very well versed in your faith and in theology, not to enter into an exchange with them lest you be lead astray by their persuasive arguments.
It is also important to distinguish Sedevacantism from the Society of Saint Pius X, SSPX, which also embraces the pre-Vatican II traditional Latin Mass. Members of SSPX have some issues and disagreements with the Holy Father, but they do not deny his authority. They have an irregular relationship with the Church, but are not in schism. They pray for Pope Francis in their liturgies.