And such priests, were they married, would be any more virtuous?
A bad egg is a bad egg.
Oh, yes. There are all such predictions from people who claim to know much better than the Church about marriage and behavior.
The preoccupation of people concerned over the married status of priests is outweighed only by the terrible state of marriage in the Western world.
All the while the priesthood and the Church experiences a great waning of population and devotion as priests coincidentally oversee a more and more liberal interpretation of the sacraments.
Let ‘em get married.
Whatever.
No one who loves commenting on such ideas cares enough to state logically, or any other way, how this would increase devotion to God, Jesus, the Eucharist, Reconciliation, nor the Church Dogma, which, BTW, people will claim to know all about while knowing nothing about the most rudimentary tenets of the Church such as, The fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit, The true Presence, obligations of reconciliation, rules of fasting, the Mass, dressing properly at Mass, showing proper respect for priests, formation of children...
They’ll know everything there is to know about the marriage of priests, while spewing much falsehoods at the same time.
What do they care about this for?
It is weird.
We have a priest who is married with 5 kids and grandchildren.
Oh, and another married with children. They had a special dispensation and have restrictions. One, they’ll never marry again, two, they cannot rise to monsignor or above.
They happen to be very devout, as is Father Rutler, Archbishop Chaput and any number of Opus Dei priests who have never been and will never be married.
Who cares?