July 31, 2026 (Steven O’Reilly) – One could easily get the impression that John-Henry Westin has launched a concerted effort to raise and sustain doubts about the validity of the pontificates of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. Consider the following.
In April 14, he and Liz Yore alleged Benedict XVI was pressured to resign, as she and Mr. Westen have done on other occasions as well (for example, On April 21, Here). I replied to their claims in a recent OnePeterFive article (see HERE) and in a recent interview (see Here).
Then, on May 14, Mr. Westen interviewed Patrick Coffin who believe Francis was an antipope (see Was Benedict XVI Still Pope? Vatican Petition Sparks Debate)). I replied to Mr. Coffin’s errors regarding the title of pope emeritus (see HERE), and other issues (see HERE).
In addition, Mr. Westen has had several conversations across various podcasts with the ever-ubiquitous Dr. Edmund Mazza over the last 4 months who has claimed Francis and Leo XIV are antipopes. Three of the recent podcasts include:
Obviously, Mr. Westen through his selection of guests and topics, is quite sympathetic towards, if not in outright agreement with the claims that Pope Francis and Pope Leo are heretics and antipopes.
But watching the aforementioned July 29 podcast, titled “What Church History REVEALS About Leo’s Pontificate,” a strange bit of cognitive dissonance in Mr. Westen appeared mid-podcast. I will get to that further below.
As noted in the list of podcasts above, over the last 6 months alone or so, Mr. Westen has had a string of guests (e.g., Liz Yore, Patrick Coffin, Fr. Altman, Ed Mazza) who have said Francis and or Leo were not true popes either because of a supposed invalid resignation, an invalid conclave, and or formal heresies. Mr. Westen has had a total of zero interviews with any guest or guests who could provide his audience with an opposing view or opposing evidence.
Dr. Mazza alone has been on Mr. Westen’s show several times over the last 4-5 months voicing the claims that Francis and Leo are antipopes. Given Mr. Westen’s entertainment and promotion of such views, and marked failure to provide opposing opinions, one can reasonably conclude he either gravely doubts, if not reject entirely rejects, the legitimacy of Francis and Leo XIV as true popes.
Indeed, in the recent podcast, Mr. Westen listened with furrowed brow as Dr. Mazza informed him and his audience (at the 9:03 mark) of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV:
“Francis is not Francis. And to all appearances, Leo is not Leo. These are manifest public heretics parading as legitimate popes. They’re antipopes; and heretics don’t have the power to excommunicate anybody…”
(Source: Podcast Transcript. All emphasis added)
Mr. Westen doesn’t correct, or challenge Dr. Mazza at any point in the podcast. Indeed, failing to challenge him, Mr. Westen certainly appears to approve of Dr. Mazza’s views.
X
The Moment of Contradiction
Then, having been told Francis and Leo are manifest public heretics, and antipopes, a moment of oddity appears about halfway through the podcast. At 25:54 in the podcast, Mr. Westen inserts a commercial. This commercial advertises a LifeSiteNews “Celebratory Banquet” for the Beatification of Fulton Sheen in September 2026. The commercial advertises a sumptuous banquet at a hotel near the site of the beatification. The dinner will also feature various guest speakers. The gala dinner tickets sell for $250 a pop for a seat!
XX
My reaction at this point was “
What, wait!” Does Mr. Westen not recognize the contradiction inherent in his own podcast? For this Beatification rite to take place, it is necessarily the case that Pope Leo XIV has approved it (see
Here). Thus, the oddity is precisely this:
in Mr. Westen’s podcast, Leo XIV is said to be a “manifest public heretic and antipope”; yet Mr. Westen in the same podcast also advertises tickets for $250 a LifeSiteNews “Celebratory Banquet” for a beatification rite which has been approved by Leo XIV, who the same podcast’s guest (Dr. Mazza) affirms is a manifest public heretic, and antipope“! Furthermore, in the podcast, Dr. Mazza said antipopes don’t have the “power to excommunicate anybody” — apparently in defense of the SSPX. However, if antipopes don’t have the “power to excommunicate anybody” as Dr. Mazza said;
then surely an antipope does not have the “power to beatify anybody.”
XX
So, which is it? Does Mr. Westen definitely believe that Leo XIV is a true pope? And, if so, why is he offering click bait podcasts to the contrary? Or, does Mr. Westen believe Leo XIV is either likely, or definitely an antipope? But then, if so, why on earth is he selling $250 tickets to a “Celebratory Banquet” for a Beatification which would be null and void, if in fact, Leo XIV is an antipope?
X
Which does Mr. Westen really believe? Should folks believe his podcasts, and thereby save $250 on a dinner celebrating an antipope-approved, null and void beatification rite; or should folks disbelieve Mr. Westen’s podcasts, and instead spend $250 on a dinner celebrating a valid beatification rite approved by a true pope? I think that’s a fair question Mr. Westen’s LSN audience and donors might want to ask before they watch another podcast, or at least – certainly – before shelling out $250 for a dinner.
X
There is something distasteful, in my opinion at least, about airing click-bait podcasts promoting the claim that Francis and Leo XIV are “manifest public heretics” and “antipopes” on the one hand; and then on the other hand selling $250 tickets for a dinner celebrating a Beatification rite that would be null and void if one accepts the view Leo is an antipope. What’s more, all of this is presented in the very same podcast in which the banquet advertisement is embedded!
X
Seems to me, the hypocrisy and contradictions here have reached level 11. And, what’s more, one of the speakers at the beatification celebratory banquet is
Fr. James Altman, who rejects the legitimacy of both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV (see
HERE). So, why on earth has Fr. Altman been invited to be a speaker at “celebratory banquet” for a beatification rite, which in his view, must surely be null and void!!! Even setting aside Mr. Westen’s motivations for such an invitation….why on earth would Fr. Altman agree to attend, let alone speak, given the apparent contradiction between his views on Pope Leo XIV and the nature of the event. What might the topic of Fr. Altman’s talk be…perhaps how the beatification rite might be null and void in his opinion? Who knows, the guests might be in for quite a surprise.
X
All that aside, one must wonder, if the other notable speakers at this event are aware of Mr. Westen’s podcasts, and Fr. Altman’s views. I wonder if they understand what they are getting themselves into.
X
Bottom line, seems to me, that LifeSiteNews audience members, donors, and sponsors should wonder about podcast editorial policies, as well $250 dinner tickets. Unfortunately, from our perspective here, at this Lilliputian blog, it appears LifeSiteNews continues its descent into a sedevacantism.
X
Final Thoughts
X
There are those who either still believe, or are tempted to believe that Benedict’s resignation was invalid. Many of these believe Francis was an antipope, and that Leo XIV is one as well. These beliefs are erroneous, and dangerous. If this describes you, you are flirting with neo-sedevacantism for the long term, if you are not already there. Accordingly, before you continue down this path, I invite and challenge you to check out my articles (see
The Case against those who claim “Benedict is (still) pope”), and or my book (
Valid? The Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI) , and or some of my videos on the topic (see
HERE). I also have a couple articles that look at Dr. Mazza’s errors on Universal and Peaceful Acceptance, etc., in relation to the the election of Pope Leo XIV (see
The Narci-Schism of Dr. Mazza and the neo-sedevacantists;
Dr. Mazza: A Semivacantist?).
X
Steven O’Reilly is a graduate of the University of Dallas and the Georgia Institute of Technology. A former intelligence officer, he and his wife, Margaret, live near Atlanta. He has written apologetic articles, and is author of Book I of the Pia Fidelis trilogy, The Two Kingdoms; and of Valid? The Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He writes for Roma Locuta Est He can be contacted at StevenOReilly@AOL.com. Follow on Twitter: @S_OReilly_USA.
Related
