The study of religions other than Catholicism at a catholic college, while seemingly blasphemous, is in fact beneficial to those studying it, the institution itself, and the religion as a whole. From a humanitarian standpoint, it is necessary to understand other people and their views in order to fully understand one's self and the broader perspective of societies in the world. Technology and the various efforts to open up lines of communication among people have allowed for quite heterogeneous societies do develop, and assist this learning process even further. By examining the world today, and the new role of Catholicism, one can gain perspective for this new attitude and approach to Catholicism and the study of religions in general.
             Religion, as is evident in many places in the world, is a powerful vehicle for guiding people and reinforcing ideals. In the past, Catholicism has sought to reject, condemn and forcibly convert those that seek other faiths, with limited success at restoring faith in the catholic belief. Additionally, Catholicism's association with politics in the past has dealt a sharp blow to the credibility of it's teachings, helping to further propel people's search for a less 'corrupt' way of finding salvation, and understanding their purpose in life. As such, it would be to the benefit of the Catholic Church to use this opportunity to reach people through the idea of achieving similar, if not the same goals that other religions have for their followers. The church still has a very pivotal role, based on the fact that it is still one of the oldest and most important religions in the world, and has managed to remain one of the most respected. It has the capacity to be the vessel through which many issues involving differences among people and their religions can be resolved. The church has realized that it needs to make a greater effort to communicate with and understand the po...