In February 2023, I wrote a substantial piece on Pope Michael for the World Religions and Spirituality Project. Pope Michael (David Bawden, 1959-2022) was an alternative pope, elected in a small conclave in Kansas in 1990 and for the last decade based in Topeka. He claimed the papacy until his death on 2 August 2022. From the time of his passing away, his group of adherents declared the Holy See vacant and began planning for a new conclave. Until recently, no date was fixed, but in the June 2023 issue of the Vatican in Exile’s newsletter: The Olive Tree the group makes an official announcement on the conclave. It will be held in late July. Surprisingly, the electors will not gather in the United States but in Vienna.
“On Conclave
It’s almost a year ago when His Holiness Pope Michael of happy memory met his Creator. We are dilapidated by his passing away but we are grateful to the Lord for giving him to us. Pope Michael has left us a legacy that is priceless. That is from mere sedevacantism to conclavism. He did not mind the persecution, what matters is the good of the Church. His reputation was maligned yet what matters to him is ” sentire cum ecclesiae ” i.e.thinking with the mind of the Church.
Taking the above consideration, conclave is a necessity which cannot be set aside. And in this period of apostasy, since no appointed Cardinals can gather to elect the new Pope, Canon Law dictates that the Church supplies what is lacking. And so the ball is on the lay people and clergy to elect a successor to Pope Michael.
The electors are members of the laity and clergy who rejected the Second Vatican Council and the Novus Ordo Missae.
The procedure that will be followed after Holy Mass in honor of the Holy Spirit is casting lots or Cleromancy. It is the ancient and scriptural procedure performed by the eleven apostles in Acts chapter one in order to replace the position left by Judas. The nominees are bishops and priests in communion with Pope Michael. The Conclave shall commence on July 25th, feast of St. James the Apostle and it will be held in Vienna, Austria.
There will be series of cleromancy to be held. For example, Fr. John Doe’s name was picked up in the first casting lot, there will be two or more casting lots to be made. If his name John Doe is consistent in three casting lots, he will be proclaimed the Pope. Habemus Papam.
Position in the Catholic Church is not a prestige but of service. Remember in Mark 10:45, ” I have come to serve and not to be served but to offer my life for the ransom of many. ” Hence, whether one likes it or not, one has to obey out of submission to the will of God.
Oremus ut habeamus Papam.
For any questions you may have please contact Archbishop Martinez at: archbishopmartinez@gmail.com”
[Quoted from The Olive Tree, June 2023 issue]
Magnus Lundberg 