So this is a theory I am wondering about.
I think the Vatican 2 ideology is so deeply entrenched into the mainstream church that the church will go down the road of apostacy unless some cardinal somewhere breaks away and becomes the leader of a traditionalist church. Traditionalists should ultimately break away from the current "pope" and start their own hierarchy. But what I am wondering is, is there a Catholic contingency plan for a situation where those who would elect a true pope are unwilling to do so? Is the church so fragile as just to take the cardinals and the "pope" contradicting tradition to destroy the entire body and prevent any possibility of a future legit pope and true doctrine?
Could a group of traditionalists get together in a provisional conclave and elect a new pope that stood for pre-vatican2 doctrine? Should there be some sort of world organisation of sedevacantists for this purpose?
I find it hard to just lie down and die and think this is the end of the world, I think we ought to do something to ensure the church survives into the future.

:surprised: :confused1:So, what, exactly, is the "Resistance"??  Archbishop Lefebvre started the SSPX because????

The SSPX could be the organisation that ensures the survival of tradition, it is certainly the biggest as far as I know, but I don't think they would be willing to follow a new pope OR somehow make a new pope, they want to be part of the mainstream church but not accept Vatican 2. Sooner or later they are gonna have to decide between Catholic doctrine and Vatican 2 hierarchy, the two become more distant with every passing day.

  :heretic:What you suggest has been tried over 500 years ago by some fellow named Martin Luther! :whistleblower:

So we just give up and either accept an outrageous pope or become sedevacantists and think that its the end of the world and the church is gone?

Surely it takes more than the defection of the top hierarchy to destroy the One Holy Catholic Apostolic church? :geezer:

In fact, it is my understanding with CMRI they will not participate with any election, they have faith that God will work out this crisis in His perfect time.  

In fact, it is my understanding with CMRI they will not participate with any election, they have faith that God will work out this crisis in His perfect time.  

That is true.

I think that the only people who suggest this are those unfamiliar with extraordinary papal elections. There are legitimate ways to get a true pope, none of them involve traditionalist clergy. I think people are well meaning in their desire to have a a pope and in their submission to his office and that is admirable but there are rules to this, we can't and won't usurp the laws and role of the Church.

The sedevacantist position is a response, not a solution. Myrna, you've pointed out one of the reasons the CMRI is so level and respectable.

Even if the Mass and most sacraments and the hierarchy disappear, we have Baptism, a record of infallible de fide teachings from unquestionably valid councils and popes, the writings of the saints, the Clementine Vulgate and Doway-Rhemes Bibles, and the Rosary and Brown Scapular and the Act of Contrition. The True Church is indefectible. Some will argue that under those circuмstances it would lose its mark of visibility, but I'm not so sure.

Quote from: TCat

Could a group of traditionalists get together in a provisional conclave and elect a new pope that stood for pre-vatican2 doctrine?

This has been tried. They elected this man.

This was tried by another group also. That group elected Lucian Pulvermacher.

Then there is also the Palmarian Catholic Church who had a pope who I think was supposedly chosen by divine revelation.

It was the rotten fruit of an illegal conclave.  If we are to have a Pope again it will either be through an act of God, or through a legal election with the electors who have the Divine right to elect.