(LifeSiteNews) – According to Father Nicola Bux, former consultor to both the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, there is “turmoil in the College of Cardinals” and it may be likely that the next Pope will be conservative.

Father Bux: ‘There Is Turmoil in the College of Cardinals’ https://t.co/XIckopbvJa

— Edward Pentin (@EdwardPentin) February 18, 2023

Catholic journalist Edward Pentin interviewed Father Bux about the situation in Rome regarding the eligible electors in the College of Cardinals, and Bux believes that the crisis in the Church makes the election of another progressive unlikely.

Father Bux told Pentin that he believed a shift to the political right globally could be reflected in a change of leadership in the Church.

“Certainly, world power is going ‘to the right,’” he told Pentin. “A crisis like the one going on in the West requires only conservative powers of the world to solve them. The progressive part of the left only knows how to create the problems. One might therefore be able to foresee a form of restoration, even in the supreme moral authority, the pope, on which the new Western power will want to lean.”

He told Pentin “the Church is riddled with apostasy,” which he called “the precursor to schism.”

Pentin asked Bux if he thought we have “reached a point of no return.” The “respected theologian” replied with an anecdote.

“A non-religious friend of mine,” he said, “speaking to me a few months ago about the successor to Francis, said he saw it as a challenge between St. Michael the Archangel confronting the challenger who had just said ‘non serviam,’ answering him ‘quis ut Deus?’ [Who is like God – the literal meaning of the name Michael].”

His friend concluded by telling him: “but if the Church is God’s work, is this not the time for Him to intervene?”

Bux also said that despite the fact that Francis has said “that he loves criticism from those who speak to his face … he does not respond to those who speak to him, even politely.”

This situation has, in Bux’s estimation, created strife amongst the Cardinals who are eligible to vote. He said: “Certainly half of the cardinal electors and many bishops are convinced we cannot go on this way and change is needed to put the Church in order if she is to remain Catholic.”

He added that he believed the crux of the crisis pertains to the collapse of the liturgy and that restoration of the Church lies in the reform of the liturgy.

Bux’s statements come as Pope Francis has doubled down on his persecution of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM).

Attempts by Rome to further restrict the TLM have been labelled a violation of Church law by Canon Lawyers.

Nonetheless, Diane Montagna reported at The Remnant that “a Vatican document is currently under review by Pope Francis that would expand and reinforce his 2021 Motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, affirm that the only official liturgy of the Latin Rite is the Novus Ordo, and stringently regulate the ex-Ecclesia Dei communities.”

She added: “[T]his new document would deal a particularly heavy blow to ex-Ecclesia Dei communities, by banning diaconal and priestly ordinations in the Vetus Ordo, prohibiting the administration of the other sacraments to the faithful, and requiring concelebration of all priests, including members of these institutes.”

It is also rumoured that it would be prohibited to attend the TLM on Sundays.

“Nothing is set in stone at this point,” she opined and added that “there is considerable resistance from members of the Roman Curia” by Cardinals who believe the Pope has gone too far.