The following was by written by Fr. Robert J. Levis, of Erie, PA on 09-10-2003:
“Celibacy will remain a characteristic of the Western Priesthood for the following reasons:
1. The priest is considered a groom, like Christ the Groom, married to the whole Church. This is an ancient patriarchal notion and a good one. This Christian union is monogamous, one husband with one wife. The priest's wife is his people whom he serves without counting the effort.
2. The vocation of the priest is to stand in the person of Christ who was celibate throughout his whole life.
3. The primary purpose of marriage is the rearing and training of children, an enormous task. An essential duty of the priest is to administer the Sacraments most especially the Holy Eucharist, a most solemn duty which requires a detached life, much solitary prayer, and training for homiletic work.
4. The priest is considered the "sexless one", the man to whom all, men and women, may come in complete freedom and openness with their counseling problems. Any woman can see the priest who is not some woman's husband, which is a freedom for her and an advantage for the independent priest.
5. Imagine the costs of providing for a priest and his non-conceptive family, a real practical consideration in these times.”
I have read there is some mystery as to whether there was in fact a female Pope, the Catholic Yentl, if you will, a woman disguised as a man who became Pope, way back when, that would be interesting if true, and even if not true, make a good movie...