[sarasmom]

I do understand that it is a very serious action, whenever the Catholic Church publically declares an individual or group to be heretics.

What I don't understand, is why they do not do it more often, for former clergy members who are openly apostate.

I am not a Christian, and not Catholic, but it has always confounded me that observant Catholics would “suffer a witch” to live amongst them.

As a nominal “witch”, I consider it to be an evil act to work to undermine any organized church by fraudulently posing as a believing member, much less a leader, in any established congregation. If you don't believe in the teachings of the Catholic Church, don't join it, or if you later changed your mind, quit.

[RobbyS]

She is a baptized Catholic. I agree that the Church has been lenient with such people, and that is because —really—the Church is divided as to what to do about such persons. It is a situation noit unlike that facing the Church in Luther’s time. Luther had a powerful protector, the Elector of Saxony, who kept him alive. Today, such people have many friend who are able to prevent formal action by threatening schism.