[misterrob]

Family is a big part of the church. Divorce is a no no (unless your name is Kennedy/Kerry), to marry in the church requires sessions with a priest, abortion is prohibited as is birth control. One could make an argument that family is the back bone of society and therefor, any active role that a priest plays in that should be weighed against their own experience, IMO. The ceremony and ritualistic aspect of the mass are things that really anyone can do. The sermon, on the other hand, is something that requires the giver to connect with the people listening in. How about a sermon that talks about the lesson the priest learned from his wife or children? How about the sermon that reflected upon God's teaching and how it was applied in the home in the past week? How did lessons from God make the family stronger? Save a marriage or turn a child towards a good decision? And, all from first hand experience and not vicariously through someone else?

[WriteOn]

So Christ isn't the backbone of society? If Christ isn't the backbone of a family, it fails. As Catholics that means the central role of the Eucharist in our families, therefore the central role of the priesthood and for those in the Latin Rite, a celibate priesthood.

From my perspective your values are upside down.

[Conservative til I die]

The ceremony and ritualistic aspect of the mass are things that really anyone can do.

Except of course, transubstantiate the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Divine Christ.