Of the guys I went to seminary with, and were ordained, I'd say about a third (45 or so) have left the priesthood. And they were, by far, the best preachers, had the best presence at Mass, and were sought out by their parishioners.
A tremendous loss of talent for the Church, all due to the absurd requirement that 24 year old men commit to never being near a woman again.
Could those parishioners been of the female variety, those who perphaps sought out preachers, not for spiritual purposes but to seek a potential husband. Woe to these women who prey upon the clergy. !
Don't be silly, sinkspur! They can be near them, they just can't have sex with them! ;o) Men have female friends all the time, without having the desire to bed them! Besides, most men I've known recently who have become priests are making that decision in their thirties! They certainly are not dewey eyed young men in the throes of some holy vision locking themselves into a life they don't understand. They've made the decision that serving God in the capacity of the priesthood is more important to them than marrying and having children.
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.