[sinkspur]

The celibate priesthood has served the Roman Catholic Church well for centuries; there is no reason to abandon it. Those agitating for its removal also are generally the same ones agitating for contraception, women priests, and the like.

Nobody would be abandoning celibacy; the Church would simply expand the number of married men who could enter ministry, reserving the episcopacy for celibates.

[CouncilofTrent]

Council of Trent:

"If any one saith, that clerics constituted in sacred orders, or Regulars, who have solemnly professed chastity, are able to contract marriage, and that being contracted it is valid, notwithstanding the ecclesiastical law, or vow; and that the contrary is no thing else than to condemn marriage; and, that all who do not feel that they have the gift of chastity, even though they have made a vow thereof, may contract marriage; let him be anathema: seeing that God refuses not that gift to those who ask for it rightly, neither does He suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able."