Again, we're talking about very small churches with close knit communities and an established precedent from the East, where marriage is still viewed as a lifelong commitment.
This is not the case in the West, where more than half of all marriages end in divorce. The Latin Church has enough problems dealing with those bishops who allowed homosexuals to become priests. Imgaine the scandal if they are allowed to enlist married men into the priesthood, who then turn around and divorce their wives. Already in the East, the Sacrament of Marriage is beginning to lose its sanctity. That is what Patriarch Sfeir attempted to address before the Synod. You solve one problem while creating another. The Latin Church can barely support its celibate priests; how would it support a married man with wife and children?
Even in the protestant denominations, married clergy has not resolved the shortage of priests.
What has worked (so far) in the East, does not ensure that it would be effective in the West. As Patriarch Sfeir also noted, the celibate priest offers greater mobility and flexibility. He clarified to all assembled that in the East, celibacy is considered the greatest treasure of the Catholic Church.
Should you still entertain any doubts, I would refer you to the links provided by our good friend, freeper Salvation, here
"What has worked (so far) in the East, does not ensure that it would be effective in the West."
I think perhaps you misunderstand my position. I don't consider changing the traditions of the western church with regard to Priestly celibacy to be my business. For all practical purposes, I no longer have a dog in the fight. And I wouldn't be keen on the idea in any case. The western church has a long and largely successful tradition in this regard. My advocacy for having married men as Priests is restricted to the eastern churches.
While I would oppose forcing what is essentially an eastern tradition of married Priests on the western church, I also oppose continuing what is essentially a forced western tradition within the eastern churches in the U.S.
What's good for the goose is not necessarily sauce for the gander.