We know from Cardinal Danneels, a key member of Pope Francis' Council of Nine, that he was part of this radical "mafia" reformist group opposed to Benedict XVI
The late Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Martini was a great enemy of the Catholic Church who many feared would overtake the Papal Throne as an anti-pope had Pope John Paul II met with an untimely death. Martini is well remembered for the way he attacked John Paul II in the press and called for his resignation because he didn't support a woman's "right" to have an abortion.
For obvious reasons Martini likewise despised Cardinal Ratzinger [now Benedict XVI], though he was very good friends with the Jesuit cardinal Jorge Bergoglio [now Pope Francis], and fearing that Ratzinger might become the next pope Martini set up "St Gallen Mafia" in an attempt to prevent Ratzinger from being elected pope and to try to get Bergoglio elected instead.
Deo Gratias, their politics failed in the 2005 conclave and Benedict was elected, after which St Gallen Mafia disbanded, but they came together again in 2011 and virtually forced Benedict's resignation in 2013. Though the pope consented of his free will to step down, this was done against his wish under great pressure, a flight which was providentially foreshadowed in his inaugural speech of April 24, 2005, when he said: "Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves."
We know from Cardinal Danneels, a key member of Pope Francis' Council of Nine, that he was part of this radical "mafia" reformist group opposed to Benedict XVI. Danneels, known for his support of abortion, LGBT rights, gay-marriage, and pornography said in a taped interview in September 2015 that he and several cardinals were part of this "mafia" club which bore the name of St. Gallen. He said the group was calling for drastic changes in the Church, to make it "much more modern," and that the plan all along was to have Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio head it. (NC Register, Sept. 24, 2015)
In hindsight it isn't difficult to understand why two shafts of lightning providentially struck the dome of St. Peter's Basilica just hours after Pope Benedict announced his resignation on February 11, 2013. The Lord saw what would ensue in the wake of this historic resignation—a Church in utter shambles with several cardinals and even the pope being implicated in the sexual abuse of minors—and was trying to awaken the Church to this.
With all due respect for Pope Benedict, he should have followed the lead of John Paul II and stuck it out to the end. While the Church prays for the amendment of Pope Francis, let us never forget to pray for Pope Benedict XVI who is suffering greatly for the Church at this time.
David Martin is the former moderator for St. Michaels Radio which is the one radio program of our time specializing in Catholic prophecy. He has also authored numerous articles on the Church and the Papacy which have appeared on various blogs and websites.
David presently resides in Los Angeles, California where for thirty years he has coordinated a Catholic ministry. He is a daily communicant in his parish church and strongly supports Benedict XVI’s aspiration to see the Traditional Latin Mass returned to every Catholic parish of the world.
The late Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Martini was a great enemy of the Catholic Church who many feared would overtake the Papal Throne as an anti-pope had Pope John Paul II met with an untimely death. Martini is well remembered for the way he attacked John Paul II in the press and called for his resignation because he didn't support a woman's "right" to have an abortion.
For obvious reasons Martini likewise despised Cardinal Ratzinger [now Benedict XVI], though he was very good friends with the Jesuit cardinal Jorge Bergoglio [now Pope Francis], and fearing that Ratzinger might become the next pope Martini set up "St Gallen Mafia" in an attempt to prevent Ratzinger from being elected pope and to try to get Bergoglio elected instead. 
