Democracy in the Catholic Church: Some Popes and Bishops Advocated Democracy in Church/"Rome Has Spoken"

Celestine 1 425 
"No bishop should be installed against the will of the people."

Leo 1, Letter 10, No. 6, c. 450
"The consent of the clergy, the testimony of those held in honor, the approval of the orders and the laity should be required. He who is to govern all should be chosen by all."

Leo 1X, Synod of Rheims, 1049
"Bishops are to be elected by clergy and people."

Nicholas 11, Election Decree 1059
Concerning the election of a Supreme Pontiff:
..."the cardinal bishops ... shall summon the cardinal clerks to them, and then the rest of the clergy and people shalll in the same way come to consent to the new election."
Source: Rome Has Spoken edited by Sr. Maureen Fiedler and Linda Rabben, a must read for all those interested in finding out just how much the Roman Catholic Church has changed throughout the centuries.

Does this sound radical by today's monarchical system of "white smoke" over the Vatican?
It is time for Roman Catholics to embrace the earlier, more democratic, egalitarian practices of our church in selection of bishops and pope. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org
sofiabmm@aol.com