Priests...

Many of you were confused on the roles of Catholic priests and why they are respected and thought of so highly... hopefully this will answer some of your questions.

Couresty: Answers.com

Roman Catholic and Orthodox


The most significant liturgical acts reserved to Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic priests are the administration of the Sacraments, including the celebration of the Mass or Divine Liturgy (the terms for the celebration of theEucharist in the Western and Eastern traditions, respectively), and the Sacrament of Penance, also called Confession. The sacraments of anointing of the sick and confirmation or chrismation are also administered by priests, though in the Western tradition confirmation is most often celebrated by a bishop. Holy Baptism may be celebrated by anyone and Matrimony may be witnessed by a deacon, but most often these are also normally administered by a priest. The only sacrament which is always reserved to a bishop is that of ordination, or Holy Orders.
In these traditions, only men who meet certain requirements may become priests. In Catholicism the canonical minimum age is twenty-five. Bishops may dispense with this rule and ordain men up to one year younger; dispensations of more than a year are reserved to the Holy See (Can. 1031 §§1, 4.) A Catholic priest must be incardinated by his bishop or his major religious superior in order to engage in public ministry. In Orthodoxy the normal minimum age is thirty (Can. 9 of Neocaesarea) but a bishop may dispense with this at need. In neither tradition may priests marry after ordination. In the Latin rite of the Roman church, they must be celibate and there are special rules for married clergy converting from certain other Christian confessions. Married men may become priests in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Rites of the Roman church but in neither case may they marry after ordination even if they become widowed. It is also important to note that candidates for the episcopacy are only chosen from among the celibate.