Theological Bankruptcy of “Pope” Leo XIV’s Priesthood Argument

The cited article from the National Catholic Register (March 25, 2026) reports that the antipope known as “Pope Leo XIV” delivered a catechesis on the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium from the Second Vatican Council. He argued that the reservation of the ministerial priesthood to men is grounded in “apostolic succession,” as the apostles were “chosen by Christ from among men.” He framed the hierarchical structure as a “divine institution” for “unity, mission, and sanctification,” calling for priests who are “ardent with evangelical charity” and “courageous missionaries.” This presentation, while superficially traditional in language, is a profound modernist distortion that empties the priesthood of its supernatural essence and subordinates it to a naturalistic, sociological conception of the Church.