I know that many Traditionalists don't pay too much attention to scripture but perhaps if they reread Luke 14:7-24,they might get some insights.The parable about the wedding feast might also be helpful as would the passages about the laborers,who were unhappy with their pay.
I can admit that I am not always happy with what the Pope says or does but he prays more than I do,he is smarter than I am and he has many advisors who know more than I do. When I add the fact that Jesus Christ clearly entrusted Peter and His Successors to lead the visible Church and promised the Holy Ghost would be with His Church until the end,I realize that to not follow Peter would be presumptuous and would eventually lead to despair.Both are sins.So I will remain on the "barque" and continue to fight those also on board,who seek to upend it.
I don't necessarily disagree with your conclusion, but I don't think these are the right criteria to use. The new Archbishop of Canterbury who supports homosexual clergy and recently had himself inducted as a "druid" would fulfill all these same criteria. So would the Ayatollah Komeineh. But they're not Catholic.
Is he defending the Catholic Faith to the limit of his ability, power and duty? This is the only criteria that really matters.
I'm especially leary of the "smarter" criteria. Stephen Hawking is a lot smarter than me, but he's an atheist. So I suppose in some ways he's a lot stupider than me, despite his greater intellectual gifts. Extremely intelligent people tend to fall into the trap of relying on human intelligence, but "the wisdom of men is foolishness to God."
1 Corinthians 1:
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
How do you know that he prays more or is "smarter" ?
Not ALL counsel is wise counsel, your limited set of counselors may be wiser than a herd of "professional counselors"