I've been blue collar.  Know a lot of blue collar and military "sturdy types."  The way they are referred to, as archetypes rather than real people, suggests someone who doesn't know any "sturdy types."  While I respect those who get their hand dirty for a living, they are hardly any more capable of being good priests than anyone else.  However, I have learned to be very wary of those who talk like the entirety of life is one ongoing theoretical exercise.  I suspect we are dealing with a priest parading as laity to post ivory tower stuff that sounds good in the seminary, but has no relation to real life.