The open letter “accusing Pope Francis of the canonical delict of heresy” raises several canonical questions. It is generally recognised, subject to important qualifications, that a pope can commit material, formal or obstinate heresy triggering thereby, for himself and the Church, canonical consequences running from the almost non-existent to the catastrophic.
Academics have speculated on procedures for assessing allegations of papal heresy but have concluded little except that a pope cannot be put on trial (c 1404). Given the gravity of obstinate heresy in a pope, however, it is accepted that some mechanism for assessing and, if demonstrated, proclaiming such heresy must exist.
