Did Pope Francis INCREASE The Limit On 120 Electors At The Conclave Before He Died? If NOT Conclave Will Be INVALID, Unconstitutional.

Click to ENLARGE. Link to 'Universi Dominici Gregis' at the Vatican site.

Conclaves and the electing of a new pope have to be done per the laws set forth by a previous pope.

Only a (living) pope can set forth these laws. They set forth in an Apostolic Constitution. That is THE absolute LAW.

Catholic 'Canon Law' states this by referring to conclave laws as 'Special Law' set forth by a pope via an Apostolic Constitution.

Subsequent popes can legally MODIFY the Apostolic Constitution. Perfectly valid, but it can only be done by a POPE. Benedict XVI actually did so, days before be resigned, in 2013. 

So today's constitution still is John Paul II's 1983 UDG with Benedict XVI's amendments.

Benedict XVI did NOT change the 120 cardinal elector limit.

< >  < >  < >  < >  < >

Did Pope Francis amend UDG before he DIED?

There is NO indication that he did so.

IF he had done so, it would normally be announced & publicized. It is not a matter that warrants secrecy.

There have been NO announcement, even after his death, that he modified UDG.

So that begs the question.

< >  < >  < >  < >  < >

  IF he did not change the Constitution the 120 cardinal elector limit applies.  

Today we have 135 cardinal electors!

That is the problem. That is the ISSUE.

If they all participate in the conclave they would have exceeded the 120 limit.

They would have violated the constitution.

                                                           < >  < >  < >  < >  < >

Yes, this will ONLY be an issue if people CONTEST the election, i.e., the new pope.

                                                           < >  < >  < >  < >  < >

The crazy thing is we now have a very nice example to drive home the point.

Donald Trump, even today, claims that the 2020 election he lost was rigged, not valid.

IF the 2025 conclave exceeds the 120 limit folks will have LEGITIMATE grounds to claim the election was NOT valid.

They can disown the pope.

They can force a schism.

I have been WARNING of this problem, i.e., the danger of exceeding the 120 limit, for years. It is in ALL my conclave books. Go check. Smile.

                                                           < >  < >  < >  < >  < >

Click to ENLARGE. Amazon Link.