The sacraments are more than matter and form, more than just words said and symbols used. To administer the sacraments a priest must be able to connect with the people, help them grow in their faith and awareness of the sacramentality of their lives. To administer the sacraments correctly, a priest must be involved in the lives of his people, know them, know what they need, and adjust accordingly. The priesthood is a gift from God. Not everybody is given this gift, and it is probably one of the hardest gifts to deal with that God can give.
Priests play a very important role in peoples' lives.
We need the sacraments, namely the Eucharist, and it is the priest's duty to provide Christ to the people in the form of the Holy Eucharist. This may not seem like much, but imagine for a moment what really happens at the consecration. The priest is the instrument through which God works, and changing bread and wine into the the Body and Blood of Christ is no small task. To be that close to the Holy Trinity is an immense responsibility. Not that the other sacraments are a small matter.