As Mark Shea has noticed, the Venice (FL) diocese has a puzzling poll question on its website this week. They're asking whether bishops should be appointed by the Pope or elected by the people of the diocese.
I think the answer is obvious. In an era when 70% of U.S. Catholics don't understand the doctrine of the Real Presence, we should regard the Catholic population here as in need of mission: in need of re-evangelization, conversion, and catechesis. It makes no sense for the recipients of mission to elect the missionary.
It's not the first time, either, that the Venice web site people have stuck their neck out with a strange question. It's conceivable that they may be doing so with the aim of encouraging an interest in apologetics, but the results of these unscientific polls are not much to be sanguine about.
On the other hand, there are some really good things going on in the Venice diocese: the opening of Ave Maria University this fall, the Monks of Adoration who moved there from Massachusetts, and the scholarly and prudent fez-wearing canonists who serve in the diocesan tribunal.
It could well be a bored webmaster looking for an offbeat poll question for the dog days of summer. I would seriously doubt that the diocese will take the results to heart.
That being said, I do think that the laity should have at least some say in suggesting names of bishop-worthy priests to the diocese commission in charge of coming up with "the list". There are many very effective and talented priests who may not be headline-makers on a regular basis that may slip under the radar of the commission, and yet would make for excellent bishops. We all know people in our workplaces like this, who are very talented, but do not flout it, sometimes to their own detriment.
You already have the right to make recommendations to your bishop or to the papal nuncio.
Chris, knowing our computer people -- who are like really cool -- as well as how slow things are going this month with half the people on vacation, I would guess that you are correct.