"I suspect the priest rationalised ---that the good the priest did for the society outweighed the bad on an individual--- who could be seen as collateral damage"
Yes, it shows how the mind has no sense of right or wrong and simply becomes a servant able to rationalise anything you like. Even though the priest would be familiar with the principle that "good deeds" never wash away the consequences of "bad deeds".
Also, Bishops may be misguided but in general are not evil men so how on earth could a Bishop rationalise that it is appropriate to put the supposed protection of the Church before the protection of innocent children.
Human society is full of such examples where a person's image of himself is at odds and often opposite to actual behaviour.
Christians excuse this problem by inventing "Jesus died for your sins", ask foregiveness, go and sin no more ... etc etc etc.
