I'm not necessarily against the notion of Catholic priests being able to marry. My understanding is that the Church doesn't view celibacy as an absolutely necessary characteristic of the office. I've heard that the male gender is one, though I question the reasoning behind that. But that's a discussion for another time.
The point I wanted to make is that the willingness to take on celibacy -- which represents a total surrender of one's life to God -- is something I view as heroic. It's one of the things that I feel sets Catholic priests apart from clergy in other faith traditions. That and their level of education. Basically, you have to spend just about as much time being educated to become a priest as to become a doctor.
But all this leads me to my real point. When I think about religious vocations, it usually brings to my mind the priesthood. Far too infrequently (and surely because I'm a man) do I consider the call that a woman follows to be a religious sister. But while it's a different role, it represents just as extraordinary a surrender of one's life to God. And one that's just as heroic.
I have the author of this piece to thank for crystallizing that thought in my mind. I hope to honor her and all the selfless women religious in our church by more frequently contemplating, and thanking God for, female vocations. As a priest friend of mine once said, between female administrators, teachers, office workers and gift shop clerks -- as well as nuns (and often, they're the same people) -- women are the backbone of the church. It simply couldn't function without them.
I particularly admire this young woman's priorities.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/angela-svec/too-pretty-to-be-a-nun_b_6819678.html?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003
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