Part of the religions which hold that the Pope is the Antichrist and all that is that the Pope is so much in control that nothing happens without his knowing and approving it. Bogeymen make far better targets for abuse and emotionalism than do real people.
I was just reading a history of Lay Dominicans and found this:
Munio de Zamora, then, gave the Rule to the Third Order in 1285. But this action antagonized the incumbent Pope, Nicholas IV. Pope Nicholas was a former Minister General of the Franciscan Order. He had an idea of what to do with the Penitent movement: attach all the penitent groups to the Franciscan Order. Thus, he was quite unhappy with de Zamora's action in affiliating a substantial sector of the penitent movement with the Dominicans. This, along with several other grudges which he seems to have had against Zamora, caused him in 1290 to demand that the Dominican General Chapter remove this Master General from office. The General Chapter met, and refused to remove him. In the next year, 1291 -- Pope Nicholas deposed him personally. But by now the Third Order was firmly established, and survived.As I like to say, I don't believe in organized religion. I'm a Catholic.
Well said ,Dear MD