Perhaps the most incredible day in the history of America happened in the lobby in 1967.

Pope Francis has suppressed the Ecclesia Dei Commission, a significant decision with consequences for the Holy See’s relations with the priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X.

The Catholic church would benefit if bishops felt more like local leaders and less like regional managers in a Rome-based nonprofit. One way to move in that direction would be to have the clergy elect their bishops.

There is no question that the process for the appointment of bishops should be updated. But the election of bishops with procedures similar to democratic elections would only exacerbate all kinds of rifts in the Catholic Church today.

How should Christians interpret and implement the Gospel mandate to bring the good news to all peoples and nations?

New calls for greater synodality—and the inclusion of many more voices than just bishops—may complicate the role of collegiality in church governance.