Worldwide, the total number of priests in 1970 was 419,728. In 2013, there were a total of 412,236 priests. True, that's a loss: the number of priests has been slowly shrinking in the USA since late 60's, BUT does that short time-span foretell the future? Interestingly, we just turned a corner on that this year, when we have the highest number of young men in seminary since 1970.
And the number of married deacons (15,000) exceeds the number of priests in religious orders, like the Jesuits and the Fransciscans (14,000) in the USA alone. So there are still many men who are called to Holy Orders, and will be. Myself, I have very much welcomed the growing diaconate, so I appreciate both the celibate and the married clergy.
To say there is "nothing religious abut celibacy" is as silly as to say there is "nothing religious about marriage." Jesus recommended celibacy, and St. Paul as well, while at the same time honoring marriage.
Think of the fact that when Jesus said that there should be no divorce: anyone who divorces and remarries, is committing adultery. When he said this, the disciples were shocked. They said to Him, "If that is the case, it would be better never to marry." In other words, both faithful lifelong marriage and faithful lifelong celibacy go beyond what is purely appetite-driven and natural. In Christian life, they are both Sacraments and both based on supernatural virtue.
Marriage certainly doesn't do much to restrain vice, if vice is what a man wants. The PSU pervert coach Sandusky, the pervert sexologist Kinsey, the pervert playwright Oscar Wilde, and the pervert Episcopalian bishop Vicky Gene Robinson all were married (to women) and had children. That has been the most common mode of homosexuality, pedophilia and pederasty through history: married men engaging in vice with other men.
The number of priests declined in 43 years while the population was doubling. That is an enormous dropoff.
If celibacy is part of religious doctrine, why was marriage and procreation allowed in the Church for hundreds of years?
Saying divorcing and remarrying is equivalent to adultery means that most of the people who post here are adulterers. I disagree.
The bottom line remains, that celibacy has damaged the reputation and membership of the Church. It will continue to do so. Biology will always trump the rules of the Church. God made us desire sexuality, Church rules cannot overcome biological drives.