OK, OK, I get it, if a man who is married and wants to become a priest he can and if he is already ordained he can not...the bottom line is that in the eastern rite, you have married men who are priests and have children and still make good priests...so what exactly is the BIG difference as you say....and as far as the spouse dying, that holds true for ordained deacons in the latin rite....
I never said the difference was BIG. I pointed out some FACTS, as expressed by Cardinal Sfeir, who details the distinct difference:
"A married priest 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."
Since the priest was married BEFORE he was ordained, his FIRST VOW is to his wife. She and their children take precedence over the parish. Notice the Cardinal also points to the problem of transferring a priest and his family when the situation does not work out at a particular parish. Personality conflicts can and do arise ... not to mention the costs associated with supporting the family, especially given the number of children they have.
And how does the Cardinal end his address to the western bishops?
"celibacy is the most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church,"