I was roman catholic half my life.
Plenty of priests were family friends, mom worked as church secretary. Got to know priests as actual people and family friends.
More than one believed muslims will go to heaven because of their so-called love of Mary. While at the same time unsure they were going to heaven. Apart from incorrectly believing in purgatory, they believe they could still screw something up in purgatory and not go to heaven.
These were senior priests, in charge of a parish.
They think muslims are going to heaven while they don’t know, and these guys are supposedly the ‘leaders’ of the flock.
It’s not a wonder the roman church is in such a mess in more ways than one.
When you are stuck in a works-based religion you have no certain hope.
Once baptized you are a Catholic for your entire life, not just half your life.
You can come back anytime. Just sit down with a good priest and get your questions answered.
“Faith without works is dead.”
In regard to your “certain hope”, might want to look up the sin of presumption.
they believe they could still screw something up in purgatory and not go to heaven
things that are manifestly contrary to Catholic doctrine, and you left because of that? That's equivalent to deciding that mathematics is garbage because the math students and some of the math professors at your local college are incompetent.