Esau...
The Church can't allow priests to "become married." Notice that protestant ministers who come in to full communion with Holy Mother Church are ALREADY married, and in the Eastern Rites, young men are ALREADY married when they become priests. I could be wrong, but it has always been my understanding that a man cannot take his priestly vows and THEN get married, he must already BE married, whether he be Latin Rite or part of an Eastern Rite.

oh, and might I add the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics as well...
I'm not sure if they would call their family "stress," but probably "a joy."

Jamie,
Protestant ministers do all that and still have a family. If they can survive, then so can the Catholic priests.

With respect to "God *OR* the Girl", this past week, I have experienced a taste of why there is wisdom in the Roman Catholic Church's discipline of priestly celibacy.
My wife and I have been doing the Catholic Scripture Study program (written by Scott Hahn) for the past 2.5 years. The 1st year, we both did the study (both of us attending every lesson), until my daughter was born. The 2nd year, we both did it, but alternated who attended and who stayed home with my daughter. This year, I am one of the facilitators, so I not only have to go to every lesson, but I also have to attend a separate facilitator meeting each week.
This past week, we had our normal study on Tuesday, the facilitators' fellowship on Friday, the facilitators' study meeting on Sunday, and the regular lesson that next Tuesday! So, out of 8 days, I was at my job for 6 of them (almost 10 hrs/day, with driving time factored in), and at Bible study-related events 4 of the nights. That means that I did not get to see my 20-month-old daughter awake for much of that week. More importantly, my wife (who is 8 months pregnant) let me know that she missed me those nights, and my daughter was asking for me before going to bed each night.
And this is just a Bible study 1 night a week! I can't imagine being married w/ children and saying Mass, doing baptisms, hearing confession, doing a funeral, doing a wedding, bring anointing and Eucharist to the hospital or old-age home, doing the parish budget, newsletter, etc. and fielding phone calls from parishoners about the men's club BBQ, the CCD classes, the women's club rummage sale, Bingo, the Confirmation classes, and holding meetings with the non-parishoner parents who want their kids baptized, the non-parishoners who want to get married, the newspaper wanting your comment about why another church is being built in the middle of the priest scandal....
See why we've got to pray constantly for our priests? Why would we put an extra stress of wife and kids on them?
I think I've made my point.

I did not miss an episode of "God or the Girl' when it first played and I was rather disappointed at the level of spitituality that it seemed to adopt. For instance, one of the owild-be-seminarians was instructed to build and carry a rather heavy wooden cross from point A to B (I've forgotten the route but it wasn't short).I felt that was a silly requirement on the part of his 'spiritual director'.
A lot of emotion and sentamentality was in the production without any serious look at the actual role of a priest as the dispenser of the Sacaments and the offeror of the Sacrifice.But then, I'm from the early 60's...so...we were not perfect either.

I liked the series (I ordered the DVD months ago). Though there was a bit of that media spin, the producers did keep it pretty positive.
Of course, it didn't do anything to clear up the general misconceptions about the relationships between marriage and celibacy and the Catholic priesthood. Too bad - but far from unexpected.
But for now I'll settle for anything that doesn't diss the Church every chance it gets.

I think that "God and the Girl" would be a cool reality show. The show would follow a few married Eastern Catholics on their journey to the Priesthood. Not that there is anything wrong with celebacy, as Scripture says it is a great gift.

"Moreover, Anglicans who have converted over into the Church, although married, have preserved their clergy status."
(I mean Anglicans occupying certain religious orders, that is.)

There are married ministers, converts to the Catholic Faith, who have been actually invited to become priests by the Catholic Church in spite of their current marriages. The EWTN program, The Journey Home, had alluded to this in one of their episodes as it applied to one of their guests. Marcus Grodi had stated though that this was not in any way to undermine the Church.
In fact, Alex Jones, a wonderful convert to the Catholic Faith who was previously a Pentecostal minister, was actually invited to become a priest although he is currently married.
According to one article: "While there is a possibility that Pastor Jones could enter the seminary and become a Catholic priest or deacon, none of that is certain, although married pastors of other faiths have done just that." (http://www.stanwilliams.com/Hanson.htm)
Moreover, Anglicans who have converted over into the Church, although married, have preserved their clergy status.
The question being, if some of the Apostles in the Apostolic Age and some of the clergy of the Early Church were married, what would be so wrong if the Catholic Church should allow their priests to become married when there are married ministers (and other married converts) who have converted to the Catholic Faith who are allowed this opportunity already?
Albeit, celibacy is indeed a beautiful gift to God (a grace, of course, that's been bestowed by God to some) especially in those who seek that purity of spirit and genuinely strive to fulfill that which is pleasing to the Lord; generally, celibacy is said to be in accordance to certain Pauline teaching as a matter of discipline though, but not necessarily (and please correct me if I'm wrong) a matter of doctrine.
Of course, the Church's 2000 years wisdom and divine authority prevails on such matters and, therefore, I would have to leave that all to the Church; as Paul says, 'thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.' (1Tm 3:15)

I thought the show was OK, but I did have a slight problem with it. The way the show was edited made it seem like those who chose “the Girl” failed or came up short in some way. I felt like there was an almost “Who will rise, …. and who will fall?” tone to it at each commercial break. While a vocation to the priesthood is a wonderful and holy thing, a vocation to marriage isn’t failure.
After all the idea is to discern and not to choose, right?

Oh, and I am glad to see it is out on DVD. I tried to watch it when it originally aired but it turned out to be too difficult to keep track of when it was on, since A&E kept changing the schedule. We were able to tape all the episodes, finally. Nice that they made the show in the first place, and that they did it well, but it is too bad they didn't follow that effort with one designed to encourage people to watch it.

Shane,
Our Blessed Lord has given you a wonderful gift(Matt. 19:11). God bless you for prayerfully seeking to accept it. You are a great witness to our society; which is so in need of examples of commitment and sacrifice made out of love of God.
You are in my prayers, please keep my wife and I in yours.
Take care and God bless,
Inocencio
J+M+J

I thought it was worth watching, though frustrating in that reality-tv way where they seem to spend half of each episode recapping what happened in the previous one. The finale was particularly bad that way - I pretty much fast forwarded to the end to see what had happened.
I did think they were fairly respectful of the men and their beliefs. And, hopefully not saying anything to ruin it for those who have not seen it yet, I thought the way they ended it was very well done and even inspirational.

I hear Bravo is responding with their own series entitled "God or the Guy"...

Go Shane! I can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone who grinds against celibacy. As Roma says in Glengarry Glen Ross, "If everyone says one thing, I say bet the other way." :)

I happen to go the other way from Brent. As someone who has/is considering the priesthood or religious life, I see something incredibly beautiful and plain out fulfilling about a priestly life of celibacy. At many times, I have thought that I could have so much greater fulfillment living celibately than married, whether I be ordained or not. In fact, I have felt very certain at times that I could not possibly be happy with a wife, because I would be missing out on celibacy! I suppose it is all about the particular gifts God gives you, but I have no doubt that to those whom is given celibacy, it is overwhelmingly fulfilling.

I thought the show was retarded. I am considering becoming a priest myself. God OR the Girl? Why not both? Turn Eastern Catholic!!
Go Maronites!