In the Western Church to which I belong, priests cannot be married as in the Byzantine, Ukrainian, Russian or Greek Catholic Churches. In those churches, the priests can be married, but the bishops have to be celibate. They are very good priests.
The church may hold whatever it holds with regard to clerical celibacy.
I studied with the idea of becoming a Catholic priest.
I remember the average curate at home as something between a eunuch and a snigger.
I think all priests should be married.
I considered becoming a priest very seriously. I wanted to travel the world. By the time I turned 16, I realized I was only in it for selfish reasons. And, more importantly, I didn't want to sacrifice the ladies!
Yes, hypothetically, western Catholicism could revise the theme of celibacy. ... But for the moment, I am in favor of maintaining celibacy, with the pros and the cons it has, because we have ten centuries of more good experiences than bad ones.
From my childhood I had been intended for the clergy. This prospect hung like a dark cloud on my mind.
And so um, I knew that I really didn't want to be a priest and didn't want to be a celibate, though I could probably manage it. Um, and um, ultimately I left.
I would distinguish, and the Church distinguishes, between orientation and action. We have many priests who have lived their lives in keeping with the absolute value of celibacy.
