Canon law tradition says a pope who commits formal heresy ceases to be pope: expert 'May that fact serve as a check against those tempted to engage in loose talk about popes and heresy.' Shutterstock.com [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/canon-law-tradition-says-a-pope-who-commits-formal-heresy-ceases-to-be-pope/] LifeSiteNews in a 2016 article reported that "[w]hen asked about what would happen if a pope did commit heresy, Burke — recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on Roman Catholic canon law — agreed with Peters' analysis that such a pope would automatically cease to be pontiff": [Renowned canon lawyer Dr. Edward] Peters writes that “thanks to the protection of the Holy Spirit” the Church, even during the reign of a heretical pope, “cannot fall into heresy.” In an interview with Catholic World Report published this week, Cardinal Raymond Burke, one of the four cardinals behind the dubia, said that he and his brother cardinals are not say