Here is why. The Modernists took over the Church at and after Vatican II. They have assumed the highest seats of power, and they are deeply organized throughout all the structures. Their goal is to put an end to ecclesial Catholic Tradition, including the TLM. They want Modernism to be the absolute norm, and they are closer than ever to their goal.
They opposed the conservatism of JP2 almost to the point of formal schism, especially in the US. They attempted to illegally elect Bergoglio in 2005, yet the JP2-appointed cardinals instead elected Rattzinger, who, though he is still in the Modernist camp compared to the Church pre-Vatican II, is at least somewhat mindful of preserving Tradition. Yet the Modernist cardinals still eligible to vote ruled at the 2013 conclave, the St. Gallen Mafia illegally (therefore introducing legitimate doubt) electing Bergoglio.
Since 2013, under Francis-Bergoglio, and his Arch-Modernist regime, a.k.a. "Francis-Church," the majority of cardinals eligible to participate in conclave are Bergoglio-appointees, who adhere to his policies and particular modernist errors.
Those errors of the Bergoglio regime are: ending the 1962 TLM, ending the TLM groups, ending "Traditional Catholicism," bridging us all into "Novus Ordo Catholicism" (where Catholicism + Modernism = "Novus Ordo Catholicism"), localized Novus Ordo rites based on local indigenous culture (including rites of pagan idolatry), normalizing sodomites as Catholic members in good standing, as well as the divorced-and-remarried-without-annulment-living-in-obstinate-mortal-sin, making environmentalism and a liberal view of social justice to the poor the OFFICIAL new Catholic morality, etc.
The Deep Church, the Modernist cabal, those heretics and apostate cardinals and bishops at the highest levels of power in the Church, as represented by the chief organization St. Gallen Mafia, they have near total control of the Vatican, every bishop and chancery, and the next conclave.
Therefore, it is a high probability if/when Francis resigns (soon?) or dies, that they will elect a successor who holds the same Modernist pastoral positions, including the eradication of the Mass of the Ages.
The reason why I think it is imperative and prudent to see this probable future, rather than expecting the hand of God to bring us soon a better pope, and more favorable circumstances, is that being pragamatic and reasonable is what is necessary to settle our concerns about what the Vatican will do to us TLM Catholics in the months and couple years ahead. And to give us a guide how to prepare for what is to come. VERY SOON.
IF you also conclude from the above that in all likelihood we're looking soon at another Francis type, that is the continued implementation of the St. Gallen Mafia plan to destroy the Church (i.e. the human element), and what is left of Tradition, then it would be foolish to pin our hopes that someone in the Vatican will have mercy on us, including any of our bishops.
The rare exception might be a local, diocesan bishop who has already demonstrated in the past, through not only his words, but through concrete actions, when faced with commands from the Vatican which go against faith and morals, to publicly resist. Yet, to be honest, I cannot think of one bishop who has gone this far, in recent years anyway. They all are entrenched in the mindset of false obedience, a conciliar version of "pastorality," and collegiality. As "nice" as is a bishop like Bishop Konderla of Tulsa, for example, they are clearly disposed to do what the Vatican orders. And will almost certainly order soon.
Some might object that many bishops are ignoring the TC motu proprio, giving dispensations to allow certain pre-existing TLMs to remain in the parochial churches, as if that is a sign of resistance to evil descending from the Vatican. That is nonesensical.
Yes, the TLM movement has grown, but most bishops disregarded Summorum Pontificum, while the mainstream of the Church has rapidly declined (except perhaps in certain places in Africa).
If they were resisting TC and its guidelines as something evil and uniust, they would say something objecting to the evil, and allow ALL priests to say the TLM in any parsish, the right being affirmed by Pope Benedict XVI in Summorum Pontificum. Only a few bishops (most who are retired) have made critical comments in interviews, about TC, the only one calling it outright evil being the courageous Archbishop Vigano. This is out of 5,600 Catholic bishops in the world.
It is time to look clearly and see we are not dealing with just some Modernists here and there, with some Modernist abuses in the liturgy and new age architecture, but that we are dealing with an Enemy that has invaded the Church, and taken over nearly all of its seats of authority, that is Catholic Modernism. And that those who adhere to Catholic Modernism, being outright Catholic Modernists, even though few would admit it, are in control at present of the Catholic Church as a whole.
This Establishment will elect the next pope, and force him to do away with the TLM, if Francis-Bergoglio doesn't do it himself. This is already the state of affairs. The TLM, Traditional Catholicism, in fact we ourselves--in so far as we adhere to the TLM and Traditional Catholicism--are no longer perceived or treated by the hierarchy as a whole as full, normal, spiritually healthy members of the Church.
They being really in practical schism from the traditional Church, that is the Church of 2000 years still kept alive by and large within the traditionalist Remnant, are really in practical schism from us. It is really "them vs. us," while they spin it as "us vs. them." The first is the truth; the second is a lie. We are not "against them," as valid, licit Bishops. We are against their Modernist regime trying to destroy what Christ instituted, since Modernism invaded the Church before the Council.
In conclusion, we have to see that we are already, in a sense, "outside of the churches," for keeping the Faith, while they (the Modernist regime) has complete control of the churches, but they do not have the Faith, or at least uphold it. They are either in formal heresy, material heresy, habitual heterodoxy, or habitually deviating from the Faith in their pastoral actions.
My overall point is, and this is just as much a reflection for myself as it is for the reader, it just isn't worth any brain space or time to concern myself if the modernist-controlled Vatican will take away the TLM. Because in principle they already did starting in 1970, by forcing a Protestant-ized, Modernist Mass on the universal Latin Church. We must assert these facts to the pastors, publicly, as a group, and not just in private whispers in the church parking lot, or in comment boxes on blogs and Facebook pages, but to the Bishop directly himself. Tell him you will not accept the errors of Vatican II, or the Novus Ordo, or ANY of the Modernism forced on us universally since the 1960's.
Tell him respectfully but forcefully that he must do his duty as a Bishop, maintain Tradition, and the TLM throughout ALL parishes as a right, and to not force us to accept errors and non-Catholic practices against our Faith, nor our children and progeny, OR ELSE we will form our own private associations of the faithful, house chapels, fly in "cancelled" priests even just every few months if it comes to it, or invite in the SSPX, or drive to the SSPX, to keep our distance from the Lutheran Rite, and continue indefinitely a holy protest until they resolve the Crisis they principally caused. We have to stop treating these wolves in sheeps clothing as our friend, out of fear they will shut down our TLM, because IN PRINCIPLE that is already their mindset. It is just a matter of time before what has been the policy takes full effect everywhere. The policy being to end Tradition, and bridge us all over to Modernism, a policy set by the Modernists in control.
I think we have to be humble and clear-minded enough to face the very hard facts of what the data points to: that the Modernists will almost certainly be in control for a very long time, and we must prepare to practice our Faith in the catacombs indefinitely. As much as I think we are on the brink of the Great Chastisement foretold by Our Lady, I don't know the future, or presume that divine purge of the Church and world will come soon. Even if world war and famine begins in the months ahead (hasn't it already begun anyway on some level?), I expect during the Great Chastisement itself, that Catholics will be persecuted more than ever before. And more than ever before by the Modernists in control of the Vatican and chanceries.
So be it. Even if that only means travelling once a month, or every few months, to a TLM, approved or unapproved, or having no TLM at all, we will keep the Faith. As did the Catholics during the Arian crisis, or in Japan when priests were forbidden. We will still have access to sacraments, including the graces of baptism and confirmation still in our soul, the rosary, the catechism, the communion of the saints.
Said in truth and charity.