“The problem is the mentality of *Once a priest, always a priest*.”
metmom, it’s a doctrine, not a mentality.
“Based on the responses I get when I bring the issue up, not too many Catholics have a problem with hands that defiled boys and engaged in immorality to be lifted up as holy, in the mass, allegedly changing the host into the body and blood of Christ, and then serving communion to the parishioners.”
You’re posting a complete falsehood there. I seriously doubt that you can back up the idea that Catholics would have no problem with a priest who molested children then saying Mass. Seriously, why would you make up such an obvious falsehood?
Do Protestant anti-Catholics have any conscience at all about lying about Catholics and what they believe?
When Catholics blow off the issue of a priest who has molested children with *We're all sinners*, and *Sin in his life doesn't affect his duties as a priest as long as the priests intent is right*. it's easy enough to get that idea.
When Catholics aren't demanding justice for those priests but instead accuse those molested of looking to win life's lottery by filing false accusations, then yes, it's easy to get that idea.
When Catholics don't take the issue seriously enough to demand action from their leadership but rather accuse any non-Catholic who points out such blatant hypocrisy with charges of lying, then it's easy to get the idea that priests who molest boys aren't a problem for most Catholics.