Question 52: What is the truth about the so-called bad Popes?

Answer: In E. R. Chamberlin's book entitled The Bad Popes (Signet, 1969), the writer finds seven popes that he calls bad, seven out of now 265. Does this historical fact that some popes lived lives unbecoming of their calling discredit the claim of the Catholic Church to be the true Church of Jesus Christ? Let's see what light we can find in Holy Scripture.

Our Lord chose twelve of his disciples to be Apostles, pillars and leaders of the Church. One of them, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Him (Mk 3:19). See also John 6:70-71.

The failure and fall of this apostle, personally chosen by Christ, does not discredit Christ's Church. His power is with the Church always, and his Spirit is mightier than the weaknesses of his members.

Matt. 28:19-20 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."

No sinful pope has ever taught error or tried to change the rules of morality to justify his own bad behavior.

Jesus defended the teaching authority of the scribes and Pharisees while attacking their sinful behavior (Matt. 23:2-3).

Similarly, even if a pope is a grievous sinner, Jesus is faithful to his promise that the gates of hell will never prevail against the Church, the Church built upon Peter  (Matt. 16:18).

Peter and his successors the popes, whatever their failings great or small, infallibly teach the truths of Christian doctrine and morality, always sustaining the Church of the living God, so that she is unfailingly the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Tim. 3:15).

Therefore, like Judas, bad popes in the Church cannot discredit the work of Christ. Indeed, they are a proof of the Church's truth and vitality, that she has survived, in spite of all her sinners, to produce a marvelous legion of saints.