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we can also consider that all Eastern Churches, Catholic and non-Catholic, hold clerical celibacy in high esteem.

Speaking on behalf of the Maronite Catholic Church, this statement is especially true. While the Maronites do allow married men to become priests, the process is quite lengthy and the applicant and his family is subjected to great scrutiny. The first process is to be accepted as a deacon. To become a priest, again requires a lengthy period of investigation.

The Maronites value celibacy and only celibate priests are assigned outside of Lebanon.

This article really sums it up well. It's not a matter of "allowing" or "changing the rules". It's allowing the East to keep the Tradition its always kept. And conversely, clerical celibacy that the Western Church has largely kept since the early centuries after the death of Christ.

Accordingly, being equal brethren, the Eastern and Western portions of the Church should respect each others' traditions.

A very thoughtful article.

".....the Roman tradition sees the gift and charism of celibacy as accompanying the call to the priesthood....."

Celibacy is not designed as an obstacle, it's a gift to be used for the building up of the Church, well said.

"All the same, I am loath to try to defend clerical celibacy from the standpoint of what could be called the "practical argument" of freeing priests from family responsibilities and even less from an economical standpoint by saying that the Latin Church does not have the financial and logistical structures necessary to support a married clergy."

We're not doing this because we're a bunch of cheapskates who would refuse to pay someone a living wage, or because we don't want family to "get in the way"(!) of the Gospel. Also well said.

Forcing celibacy on all who are called to the priesthood cheapens the gift of celibacy, and causes undue temptation in the ranks of those interested in the priesthood.

Practically it makes attracting candidates for priesthood difficult because not all those called toward the priest hood are called toward celibacy.

It is ridiculous to assert that something which is a requirement is a gift.

I suspect for the practical reasons alone, as well as the fact that were it not for mandatory celibacy homosexuals could not have infiltrated the ranks of the priesthood to the extent of having whole homosexual seminaries, that the catholic church will soon relax this 'requirement', and that the gift of celibacy will be properly established as an additional commitment, by those who are called to it, in their dedication of their lives to the church.

Compelling those who are not called to celibacy to promise as much, is an undue burden. It would be no less a burden to force someone unwillingly into the priesthood, they would make no better a priest, and someone not called to celibacy will make no better a celibate; they may make a great priest, but their promise to celibacy will be less genuine, and more prone to being broken.