Celibacy is not a preferred lifestyle in these days. Note that (Roman Catholic) priests are declining in numbers and aging quickly, and they have a 'job' to do.
Also, religious fervour has dropped massively since, say, the 50s, and churches as a social institution have also lost strength.
To keep up the numbers of nuns and monks, you might well need to remove much of the secularization of the last half century.
Maybe the Cuban Missile crisis goes hot, and the Church (churches) are in the forefront of reconstruction and disaster aid. Having celibate religious willing to go into hot zones without fear of what it might do to their kids, might significantly raise the profile of the monastic life.