The Vatican opens its doors

I am a firm believer in God and faith. I believe that there is a higher authority watching over everyone. That authority creates miracles and allows terrible events to occur worldwide in order to teach us to be better people.

Despite my personal beliefs, I have been confused about religion my entire life and have opted to just shut religion and faith out of my life rather than to understand it.

However, Pope Benedict XVI's recent announcement on Oct. 20 inviting Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church has re-sparked my interest in exploring and understanding religion.

By welcoming Anglicans, Benedict is allowing their parishes to retain their unique rights and practices while recognizing the Pope as their religious leader.

In other words, the Vatican is poaching disenchanted Anglicans who are upset by the growing number of ordained women bishops, gay priests, and the acceptance of gay marriage among the Anglican Communion.

By opening its doors to Anglicans, the Vatican will, without a doubt, strengthens the Catholic Church in numbers, but will also present itself as a more accepting and progressive church to Christian churchgoers, like myself, who are on the bubble about which denomination is right for them.

Benedict's welcoming of the Anglican Communion was a rare sliver of brilliance by a more pragmatic and open-minded Vatican. This Vatican realizes progressive doctrine is the only way to pick itself up from the shameful ashes of centuries of cover-ups.

I think this isn't necessarily a step forward for the Vatican, but more of a way for the church to catch up to the 21st century and evolve their practices into a more modern way of thinking.

However brilliant this move is, it still raises a number of questions concerning how the practices between both religious sects will merge together.

Yes, it is great that traditionalists within the Anglican Communion have the choice, now, to join a sect that they identify with, but what about the changes that need too, and should occur as a result within the Catholic community?

Specifically, changes will need to be made concerning the institution of celibacy within priesthood. I believe that this is of utmost importance, and Catholic priests should be allowed to get married, just like Anglican priests are allowed matrimony..

Married Protestant clergymen have been allowed to convert to Catholic priesthood on a case-by-case basis, and the Vatican's move to allow married Anglican priests to convert to Catholicism will likely lead to an influx of married men into the Catholic priesthood.

Since the Vatican is already making radical changes within the church, they should also take the initiative to abolish celibacy for all Catholic clergy as well.

Unfortunately, the Vatican has a tendency to let change happen slowly - as in over the course of hundreds of years - so, in all likelihood, the church will remain as hypocritical as ever.

After speaking to several students, I have gotten mixed reactions about this issue. Many, both Catholics and non-Catholics, believe that it makes sense for the Vatican to abolish celibacy. While others who are traditional Catholics feel uneasy with such a radical change.

Those against abolishing celibacy support the traditional Catholic view that priests should be married to God.

This is a difficult and sensitive issue that the Vatican needs to review swiftly and inform the public about what they believe is best for their parishioners.

As for myself, Benedict's invitation to Anglicans feels like an invitation for me to discover my religious beliefs, and even join the Anglicans who are converting to Catholicism and officially become a member of the Catholic Church.