It's a strange situation, to say the least. It's as though Francis is both Pope of the Church and Anti-Pope of the Anti-Church simultaneously. Tychonius' ecclesiology makes more sense with each passing day, which is truly unsettling.

According to Cannon Law, a Jesuit is not eligible to be pope. Cabals are also illegal in the voting for a pope.

@Marysrose Can they not be pope (or bishop) according to the Rule of their order, or is this actually a Canon Law? No surprise that an online quick search I did isn't helpful...

@Marysrose @Seabass It's a long standing tradition among the Jesuits and the Dominicans, but I wouldn't be surprised if other orders (particularly the mendicants and those devoted to poverty) had a similar tradition. If a religious is promoted, they are to refuse the call once. If they are asked again, they may accept. Usually they will ask for their superior's permission as well. St. Thomas Aquinas famously refused to become an archbishop thrice, stating he would be of more use to God and the Church as a teacher than a bishop.

Pius V was a Dominican.

@Marysrose Francis' church is not the One True Church gifted to the world by Our Lord. But neither was Montini's church, Wojtyla's church or Ratzinger's church. The Second Vatican Council altered the lens through which the Church looked at Herself and the world - and morphed into the Conciliar church. The Restorationist Pope will need to erase most - if not all - of the Conciliar effects of the past 60 years.