@Rasterman @ChristiJunior @Lady_Euromutt The bad Popes caused defects in the Council, not vice versa. It lost influence because the new rite disconnected the Faith from its ancient roots in many ways. Fasting requirements were thrown out, iconography was thrown out and the parish became an ugly place. The new hymns are often corny and irreverent. The seminaries started putting out liberal priests trained only in atheistic text criticism.

It’s complicated, a lot of dominos fell at once and the council was a big domino. But a big reason the Church has lost power is the loss of the Papal States. The Church lost a lot and it’s in a sort of mid life crisis trying to recover its identity, and it’s gone too far in trying to find it. Infiltration by Masons and Intelligence agencies haven’t helped.