The Vatican has confirmed the dismissal from the clerical state of a Spanish priest who publicly accused Pope Francis of heresy and argued that he was not the legitimate successor of Saint Peter.
According to LifeSiteNews, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on June 24 upheld the reduction to the lay state of Father Francisco José Vegara Cerezo, a priest of the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante in southeastern Spain. The decision followed a disciplinary process that began after the priest repeatedly challenged Pope Francis’ authority and teachings.
The controversy centered on a 20-page document published by Vegara in February 2024 titled Manifiesto para reivindicar la doctrina católica (“Manifesto to Reclaim Catholic Doctrine”). In the text, he argued that several documents issued during Pope Francis’ pontificate contained doctrinal errors that amounted to heresy.
According to LifeSiteNews, Vegara criticized a number of papal documents, including Evangelii gaudium, Amoris Laetitia, the Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity, Desiderio desideravi, Fiducia supplicans, and several Vatican responses concerning blessings, marriage, and sacramental participation. He claimed these teachings contradicted previous Church doctrine and represented a break with Catholic Tradition.
The priest further argued that accepting Pope Francis’ magisterium would require Catholics to reject prior Church teaching. According to LifeSiteNews, he maintained that “the only way to preserve Catholic doctrine is to reject Francis’s authority.”
Vegara also advanced the claim that Pope Francis was not a validly elected pope. According to LifeSiteNews, he contended that Pope Benedict XVI’s 2013 resignation was canonically invalid and therefore that the conclave which elected Pope Francis lacked legitimacy.
The Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante began addressing the matter in early 2024. According to a diocesan statement cited by LifeSiteNews, Bishop José Ignacio Munilla removed Vegara from all diocesan offices and responsibilities while an investigation was underway.
The bishop reaffirmed the diocese’s “full communion of faith, charity and obedience” with Pope Francis and stated that repeated efforts had been made to engage the priest in dialogue. The diocese reported that meetings were held over several months and that a formal written warning was eventually issued because of Vegara’s continued public opposition to the Pope.
According to the diocesan statement, officials also identified “possible personal factors affecting his conduct and the proper exercise of his ministry” during the investigation.
LifeSiteNews reported that Vegara did not retract his claims. In January 2025, he reportedly submitted another formal document to diocesan authorities accusing Pope Francis of heresy and apostasy.
Documentation related to the case had already been forwarded to the Vatican by the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante in December 2024. Approximately eighteen months later, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith informed the diocese of its decision to dismiss the priest from the clerical state.
The case highlights ongoing tensions among some clergy and commentators who have questioned aspects of Pope Francis’ pontificate. According to LifeSiteNews, several other priests and former churchmen have made similar accusations in recent years, though their arguments and conclusions have varied significantly.
The Catholic Church teaches that Catholics owe religious submission of intellect and will to the authentic Magisterium of the Church and recognizes the Roman Pontiff as the visible principle and foundation of unity within the Church. The Vatican’s decision in this case underscores the seriousness with which public rejection of papal authority is regarded by Church authorities.
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