Rome has steppd in only because of the American episcopacy's failure to address the problem. Even so most of these problems have been dealt with at the diocesan level. Appeal is made to Rome per canon law when victims (or the accused) feel that the diocese has dropped the ball.
But as for priests, those are in fact trained and accepted at the diocesan level. Even bishops are largely selected by cioceses in the region, with the Pope only formally approving their choices in most cases. With some 4,000+ Catholic dioceses worldwide, it is impossible to do it otherwise.
The bible calls for Elders to lead churches but Rome makes up a brand new thing, a Christian Priest, completely foreign to the bible.
What word are you translating as "elder?" Episcopos?
Everything from that wrong definition is going to be wrong so there is no wonder that they go astray.
The idea of a sacramental priesthood is in evidence almost immediately in the early Church (Apostolic, post-apostolic patristic) writings - if they got it wrong, pretty much every early Christian community did, east and west.
It may be evident is some old writings but it is not evident in the Bible. When the Church starts doing things that are not mentioned in the bible, the Church is stepping away from the bible.