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Yes, but I can find a million passages in the Bible where Holy Matrimony is also glorified. Jesus in particular strongly supported the institution of marriage. He performed his first miracle at a wedding ceremony. No where does Jesus say that you must be celibate and single to be a priest. Neither does Paul. In fact the priesthood is hardly mentioned in the New Testament. The priesthood is mentioned in the Old Testament extensively and yes priests were married and had children. Mandatory clerical celibacy is even relatively new the Catholic Church. For the first 1,000 years of Church history, the overwhelming majority of priests and bishops were married men. Orthodox priests in the East are permitted to marry. Catholic priests in Greece, the Ukraine, and the Middle East are permitted marry. Celibacy in Third World regions such as Africa is often ignored by the local clergy. Here in the US the number of priests continue to decline as the number of deacons continues too increase (deacons are permitted to be married). It is only a matter of time before priests in the West will be permitted to marry. Even the current Pope has indicated this policy is subject to change if you read the above article.

Yes, but I can find a million passages in the Bible where Holy Matrimony is also glorified.

Well... of COURSE it is! Were you expecting otherwise? Why would support of celibacy require that anyone denigrate marriage? Both are very good... though the celibate life is more suited to the consecrated ministry, for practical reasons (e.g. not having a divided heart, cf. 1 Cor 7) as well as for spiritual reasons (a celibate priest is a "sign" pointing to the fact that all marriage is a mere prefigurement--though a key and important prefigurement--of our ultimate "marriage/union" to God in Heaven [God willing]; a celibate priest or nun "skips" the sign and embraces the "Real Thing", as a living reminder that we are ultimately to do the same). Marriage between husband and wife, beautiful and Sacramental as it is, will pass away (cf. Matthew 22:30); our union with God, once established in Heaven, will not.

If you want a clearer and deeper explanation, check our St. John Paul II's "Theology of the Body"; it's a real eye-opener.

No where does Jesus say that you must be celibate and single to be a priest. Well... come on, now. Are you doing a "sola Scriptura" approach, here? Catholics don't believe in that illogical, unbiblical, self-contradictory tradition of men.

As to your point: no, it's not strictly necessary for a priest to be celibate (St. Peter was married, after all, and the NT is replete with references to the ordained ministers being married, including bishops); but it's the wisest choice, and both Jesus and St. Paul strongly recommend it... for very good reasons. The Latin Church made the (very wise, IMHO) decision to restrict the ordained priesthood to celibate men, so as to free them from divided cares (cf. 1 Cor 7:32-34).

Orthodox priests in the East are permitted to marry.

ELS answered this one; that's not quite accurate. The Orthodox Churches allow married men to become priests, but priest clergy cannot marry after ordination.

Celibacy in Third World regions such as Africa is often ignored by the local clergy.

Come, now! This isn't a good argument for *anything*, apart from an argument toward strengthening the formation and admission standards of priests! Would you seriously suggest that the Church's teaching on premarital sex (i.e. that it's a mortal sin) should be "changed", simply because an overwhelming number of people ignore that law of God? I wouldn't...

Here in the US the number of priests continue to decline as the number of deacons continues too increase (deacons are permitted to be married).

The number of faithful Catholics in the USA continues to decline, as well; should we hold out a hope that faithfulness to the Church will become optional? You're also assuming a causal relationship that's unproven (and even unprovable); a sex-saturated society could certainly expect to see a decrease in those willing to "die to self" enough to surrender their sexuality to God alone, just as a sex-saturated society could expect to see a decline in Catholics who refrain from divorce, contraception, extramarital sex, etc. Even the current Pope has indicated this policy is subject to change if you read the above article. I know it is (it's a discipline, not an irreformable dogma); I never argued that it was impossible. I merely argue that it is a good rule, put in place for good (and Christ-centered, Christ-given) reasons, and that it would be very unwise to remove it simply as a concession to a society which can't imagine life without genital activity.