Shar,
It could get interesting if those priests stick to their guns, and the pope removes them.  He'd win the power battle, but likely alienate the local laity who would be way short of priests, and all that means, likely requiring priests be imported, etc.  So in the end, who "wins?"  All I can see is who loses here.

Like it or not, the priests have given Francis a chance to think out of the box.  Clearly, he demurred....