Then priests of the Eastern Rite and former Episcopal priests who converted to Catholicism don't have Christ's approval for being married...and yet they're fully recognized by Rome and they acknowledge the Pope's primacy here on earth.
You're right. This is absolutely true. But it stems from a time when marriage as a sacrament was respected by society. These priests can never divorce. That has worked well in certain eastern countries where marriage is still the norm; here in the west, however, the situation is quite different.
I am a Roman Catholic practicing my faith in an Eastern (Maronite) Catholic Church. My Maronite pastor is from Lebanon. His great grandfather was a married priest which served as an inspiration. My pastor, on the other hand, chose the celibate life. On more than one occasion, we have discussed his decision to choose celibacy over the married priesthood. Perhaps the best rationale comes from none other than Mar Nasrallah Pierre Cardinal Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch. Speaking to the 11th General Synod of Fathers gathered at the Vatican in October 2005, he addressed the topic of married priests. Catholic News Agency provides the following:
Vatican City, Oct. 07, 2005 (CNA) - The Cardinal defended the practice of the celibate priesthood and discussed the beauty of the tradition, calling it the "most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church."
While pointing out that "the Maronite Church admits married priests" and that "half of our diocesan priests are married", the Cardinal Patriarch said that "it must be recognized that if admitting married men resolves one problem, it creates others just as serious."
"A married priest", he said, "has the duty to look after his wife and family, ensuring his children receive a good education and overseeing their entry into society. ... Another difficulty facing a married priest arises if he does not enjoy a good relationship with his parishioners; his bishop cannot transfer him because of the difficulty of transferring his whole family.
He noted that "married priests have perpetuated the faith among people whose difficult lives they shared, and without them this faith would no longer exist."
"On the other hand," he said, "celibacy is the most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church,"
Lamenting a culture which is all but outright opposed to purity, the Cardinal asked: "How can [celibacy] be conserved in an atmosphere laden with eroticism? Newspapers, Internet, billboards, shows, everything appears shameless and constantly offends the virtue of chastity."
Suggesting that their are no easy solutions to the problem of priest shortages in the Church--an oft brought up point during the Synod--he noted that, "Of course a priest, once ordained, can no longer get married. Sending priests to countries where they are lacking, taking them from a country that has many, is not the ideal solution if one bears in mind the question of tradition, customs and mentality. The problem remains."
BTW, the Maronite Catholic Church does not send married priests to the diaspora (anywhere outside of Lebanon). Those priests have all voluntarily chosen priestly celibacy. My pastor is also bi-ritual (Maronite and Latin Rite). He assists the priests of the RC Diocese of Albany and says the weekday, televized NO Mass at a local catholic hospital.