“Surely the Church should re-examine its policy of mandatory clerical celibacy-—there is no basis for such a policy in the Bible.”
The Catholic Church is a religion; the Bible is not (a religion).
The Catholic Church doesn't have a policy of mandatory clerical celibacy (which I keep saying --- hey, is anybody listening?)
Almost all of our Latin Rite permanent deacons (Western Church) are married clergy, and there are in the USA, more married deacons (15,000) than there are priests in religious orders like the Jesuits, Franciscans, etc. --14.000.)
Moreover only one of the 22 Churches have a historic tradition of celibacy (the Latin Rite). All the others --- yes, Catholics, under the Pope (Bishop of Rome) ---traditionally ordain priests from the ranks of married men, unless they are monks.
So, theologically, the Catholic Church does not have mandatory clerical celibacy.
If I were a married man and I felt I had a vocation to Holy Orders, I would pursue this either in the Lay Diaconate or, say, aim for priesthood with the Byzantine-Melkites. And yes, people do this.. For instance, Fr, Emmanuel McCarthy, married, father of 12, Catholic priest.)
Why don't more Catholic men pursue this? I don't know, but possibly because they understand themselves to be called to celibate Catholic priests?
