(ZENIT News / Rome, 11.21.2024).- In a dramatic turn highlighting the persistence of dissent within the Catholic Church, two Italian clergymen have been sanctioned for espousing claims that Pope Francis is not the legitimate pope. This growing phenomenon, though isolated, reflects deep tensions over papal authority in the modern Church.
High-Profile Dissenters
Fernando María Cornet, an Argentine-born former diocesan priest, and Giorgio Maria Faré, previously a Discalced Carmelite, have faced ecclesiastical penalties for publicly advocating the theory that Pope Francis is an “antipapal”—a false pope. Both have asserted that procedural irregularities surrounding Pope Benedict XVI’s 2013 resignation invalidated Francis’s papacy.
Cornet’s views were articulated in his 2022 book “Habemus Antipapam? Investigations in Honor of the Truth”, while Faré broadcasted his position through a controversial YouTube video and a pamphlet titled “I Will Not Deliver to the Lion”. Both accused Francis of doctrinal heresies and called for a conclave to elect a new pope.
The Cost of Defiance
The consequences for their rebellion have been swift and severe. On November 13, the Archdiocese of Sassari announced Cornet’s laicization by papal decree, ending his 31-year clerical career. Similarly, Faré has been expelled from the Carmelite order and is reportedly facing laicization proceedings.
Their cases mirror those of Alessandro Minutella, a former Sicilian priest who gained notoriety for his vocal rejection of Francis. Excommunicated in 2018 and laicized in 2021, Minutella continues to defy Church authority, amassing tens of thousands of followers online and presiding over his breakaway community, “Little Nazareth”.
A Legacy of Achievement Turned to Controversy
Both Cornet and Faré were once respected figures within the Church. Cornet holds advanced degrees in theology and linguistics and is an accomplished author, with works spanning historical studies to essays on Church fathers. Faré, too, published widely, including a book on the Mass endorsed by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, a former Vatican liturgy chief under Benedict XVI.
Their theological acumen and pastoral experience, however, have now become tools in their campaign against the Church’s highest authority, leading some to view their actions as a betrayal of their clerical vows.
A Larger Movement of Resistance
These cases are not isolated. Across Italy, a small but vocal group of priests and former priests continues to challenge Pope Francis’s legitimacy. Many cite Benedict XVI’s resignation and Francis’s reformist approach as evidence of rupture with tradition.
The “Congregación Sacerdotal Mariana,” an informal association of clergy opposing Francis, has been at the forefront of this movement. Members reject the post-2013 Vatican leadership and advocate for a return to what they perceive as doctrinal purity under Benedict XVI.
Church Response: A Balancing Act
While the Vatican has moved decisively to curb such dissent, the phenomenon underscores broader challenges. Pope Francis’s emphasis on mercy and reform has invigorated many Catholics but alienated others who see these changes as compromising Church tradition.
By enforcing penalties against dissenters, the Church seeks to preserve unity and authority. Yet the persistence of such voices suggests unresolved fractures in Catholicism’s global community.
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