Just last night I was watching "World Over Live" with earnest Raymond Arroyo and the whole show was about the disaster in New Orleans. He had Archbishop Hannan (aged 92) and two other priests who spent quite a lot of time down there ministering to people, saying Mass, finding families, providing food, etc., etc.
While listening to them talk about how they put aside their own lives and lived amongst the displaced, I was struck how what they did is one of the gifts a celibate priesthood gives us. Some of the refugees of other faiths mentioned to the priests that their own pastors had taken their families and left the area - understandable certainly, they needed to make sure their own families were safe and sound. But in the celibate priesthood, these men have forsaken all for the sake of the kingdom and have no such worries.
The priests said how the people were so happy to see them, everywhere they went (they wore the collar) and everyone asked for a blessing, even the non-Catholics. When things calmed down, the priests went and got some of the area pastors from their safe haven and brought them back to NO so their own flock could have services... one of the flock said, but where were they all week?
I thank God for these men who are with us at 2 AM, at our deathbeds, with every morning for Mass, hearing confessions at any time, moving anywhere they are sent, even 'bad' areas - because they are unencumbered by a wife and children.
I realize that a married priesthood would not change the priesthood, but we have a jewel most of us don't appreciate. As for a dwindling priesthood, I would bet that keeps pace with the dwindling people who attend Mass.
Plus, as Fr. Fessio said the other day on the radio (Fresh Air/NPR), there are diocese who have an excess of priests and actually export them... trouble is, many of the laity do not want a priest who says a Mass in Latin... guess the Eucharist isn't wanted too badly.
bump