The hypocrisy of SNAP and others about laicization is breathtaking.

For years, SNAP and others demanded that bishops laicize priests who commit these heinous crimes. It wasn't enough to report them to police, and to remove them from ministry; no, SNAP insisted, they must be laicized -- i.e., "defrocked" or removed from the clerical state.

Further, SNAP complained loudly whenever the laicization process took too long. So the Vatican was criticized for the lengthy process.

Now, look: when the bishops have done that, what does SNAP do? Complain that they have been laicized -- which means the bishops no longer have even minimal control over these individuals.

There's lots to criticize in how the bishops handled these things. But SNAP discredits itself with this tactic.