Conservative Catholics still mourning the tragic passing of Pope Benedict XVI may receive some good news in the near future. A group of Vatican conservatives apparently want to remove his woke, anti-capitalist successor Pope Francis in hopes of replacing Francis with one of their own.
The Daily Telegraph reported Sunday that Francis’s conservative adversaries in the Vatican have a “secret plan” to force him to resign. This scheme moved into motion “days” after Benedict XVI’s death.
Vatican conservatives have long been critical of Francis’s support for open borders, communion for remarried divorcees, and more moderate views on abortion and homosexuality. The Telegraph notes they will need time to both gather consensus and to “weaken” Francis.
Here’s the story from The Telegraph:
“Vatican conservatives are waging a “secret plan” to put Pope Francis under such stress that he resigns, it has been claimed.”
“The campaign against the Argentinian pontiff began just days after the death of his predecessor, Benedict XVI.”
“Despite previously stating he will resign if his health deteriorates, it was thought highly unlikely that Francis would decide to step down while Benedict was still alive to avoid there being three Popes living in the Vatican – a situation without precedent that would have embarrassed the Catholic Church.”
“But with Benedict’s death on December 31, resignation is now a real prospect. That has opened the way for conservatives, who oppose his stance on issues ranging from homosexuality, abortion, communion for remarried divorcees and celibacy for priests, to start moving against him.”
“They have long seen him as being too critical of capitalism and too liberal on illegal immigration, with some going so far as to deride him as a “communist.”
“The secret plan will be formulated on various axes and phases, but it will have one objective – to place the pontificate under such stress that Francis will have to resign,” an Italian cardinal told La Stampa newspaper on Sunday.”
“The campaign would depend on “the progressive weakening of the Holy Father as well as his doctrinal choices, which will create a great deal of discontent which can be used against him.”
“The opponents of Francis know that right now they are in a minority, that they will need time both to win consensus and to weaken Bergoglio,” said the cardinal, referring to Francis’s name before he became pontiff a decade ago.”
“Some of his enemies will operate “in the shadows’, while others will be more open in their criticism, the cardinal said.”
Let’s hope the plan these Catholic conservatives are embarking on succeeds. The Vatican needs a Pope more focused on preserving the Church rather than appeasing globalist politicians.
